In many of these works the figures have negotiated their way out of the paintings and I created them as independent sculptures, leaving the landscapes as two-dimensional and void of their residents. This move was actually inspired by two very good friends that are dancers in the Oregon Ballet Theater.  Watching how they sculpturally move in front and around the stage, had struck me that presenting an image in such a way has a long history and precedent.  There also is a parallel to this life; we negotiate the various spaces and circumstances we find ourselves in; do we dance, walk, crawl, or simply stay put?  I wanted the artwork to reflect that same sensibility.