My recent trip to Cuba (February 2016) sparked a whole new energy in my work. The vibrancy of the city, the vintage cars, the people, and the music helped to create a frenzy in my work that I am truly loving! And, my recent use of thicker paint, applied with palette knife, also creates a more dynamic visual. I’m now coupling this enhanced energy with my preference to painting outdoors directly on site. I feel that it is the best way to capture the immediacy of what I am feeling in the moment. It allows me to immerse myself in the subject. Whether standing next to a busy café, a crowded street or inside a jazz club, I know that it is not just the visual information that becomes a part of the painting. The sounds, the smells, the mood and the environment all become integral to the finished image.