I call myself a portrait artist because the primary focus of my art has always been the human face. I am not a photorealist; in my work I attempt to capture a spark or the fleeting essence of a person during a moment in time.

I was born in the Bronx to Italian-American parents. As a child I was anxious, timid, hesitant to show my true self to the world and confused about my place in it. I stared at the faces of people around me, in part because I found them visually interesting and full of color, and also because I struggled to understand where I fit in relation to others. I was perplexed and mesmerized by what the human experience might be like for everyone else.

I studied fine arts and psychology at Fordham University, where I was particularly touched by the work of expressionist-era painters. All I yearn for is to deeply connect with others, and my portraits are the mechanism for that.