Statement: The Book of Smoke The form of the book has always held intrigue for me in its combination of contrasting properties: openness and concealment; immateriality and heft; sequential limitation and the promise of experiential fulfillment when the last page is read. Like a house with many rooms, the form of the book offers a multitude of relationships for discovery not available in serial paintings on canvas. As an artist, I use my daily experiences to truthfully speak about meaning, vitality, and love. Even at a time when world events dwarf our individual lives, it is imperative to explore our intimate and direct experience of living and dying. After so many seasons of loss, the Book of Smoke is a Memento Mori urging the viewer to take advantage of our brief time in existence.