Portfolio > The Pilgrim Series

THE NARCISSIST
Oil on printed canvas
48" x 38"
2015
THE WARRIOR
Oil on printed canvas
40" x 40"
2015
THE WONDERER
Oil on printed canvas
36" x 50"
2015
THE CHALLENGER
Oil on printed canvas
36" x 48"
2015
THE GIVER
Oil on printed canvas
46" x 38"
2015
THE CONTEMPLATIVE
Oil on printed canvas
35" x 50"
2015
THE FOLLOWER
Oil on printed canvas
36" x 50"
2015
THE FERVENT
Oil on printed canvas
44" x 40"
2015
THE SCHOLAR
Oil on printed canvas
36" x 50"
2015
THE INSPIRER
Oil on printed canvas
34" x 50"
2015
THE DEPARTED
Oil on printed canvas
40" x 44"
2015

My work elaborates on issues of identity as a social construct. Our sense of individual is formed by the interactions with other people and the places we inhabit. We are not beings in a vacuum, but rather in environments of shared experiences and narratives within specific contexts. Our most authentic sense of self diminishes unless there is dialogue with others and the world. St. Ignatius is an exemplar of moving from self-centeredness towards full engagement with the people and situations of his time.

Paul Rubens’ etchings of the Life of Saint Ignatius of Loyola are the foundation for this series of paintings that illustrates a modern man’s search for his most trustful self. These 16th-century etchings show that questions about authenticity, meaning, and what is real, are just as pertinent in the 21st century. The intertwining story lines follow an archetypical hero’s journey through a series of transformative experiences: he overcomes adversity, leaves family and land, undertakes an altruistic quest, and becomes an inspiration for others.