I approach most of my paintings with nothing specific in mind. The first several layers are simply about play and exploration, using simple tools like my fingers and a palette knife. Starting a new canvas is my favorite part of this process. Painting with wild abandon, choosing colors, throwing paint around and making marks, building up layers, shapes, and textures. This foundation sets the tone for what emerges later – an abstract, a character, a floral or a cactus – I let these early layers set the tone for what comes next.