Each paperbag tells a story.  The narratives are either inspired by dreams, by photographs, or by stories of my travels.  I frequently incorporate maps from my travel adventures, evokng memories of far away places.  The collage elements were often the starting point for the rest of the painting.  The shapes in the photograph would frequently determine where I would draw lines and connect shapes to help make the composition flow.  I want the viewer to read a collage like a sentence.  As the viewer finishes the sentence, the shapes should bring you back again to look at the detail hidden between the lines.  The paperbag series was designed to be a simple way to hang an original piece in a home without the confines of a frame.  I want each piece to be a personal, intimate experience with nothing to limit the viewer's experience.