Photo: Betty Wasserman

I'm seeking that rare moment in my painting when my mental concentration connects with a burst of physical energy and emotional openness, the moment of both control and abandon. The struggle should show but the art must, at the same time, retain its spontaneity. No matter how hard the struggle, the resolution must be fresh and juicy.

The pictures reflect an almost incomprehensible world of privilege, the kind you'd see in forties movies, or in the grand palaces of Europe. A world that's bigger and shinier than life. There are no social contrasts, just visual ones, where I'm pulling the lights and pushing the darks.