In 2017 I retired and while vacationing in Vieques, Puerto Rico in February of 2018 I painted a small 12×12 canvas to donate for a Humane Society Auction at the Siddhia Hutchinson Gallery. I painted it seaside on a borrowed canvas. I hadn’t painted in almost 30 years. That little 12×12 got a resounding reception among nearly 100 other pieces. It lit a fuse that has grown into a burning passion inside me to now paint full time and has become the driving force in my retired life. Many people say there’s an energy in my work, a freshness. I think it’s because I’m so excited about finally after all these years being able to do what I love and having someone purchase my work has turned out to be one of the most rewarding experiences in my whole life.