Pema Chodron was talking about Buddhism, about being balanced within the activity that always surrounds us and pulls at us and demands our thoughts and energies. These paintings are contemplative paintings about balance and polarities. They are all square pieces with a still central image and an active surface. They are meant to be looked into and not just upon.

The "Occurrence" areas of the paintings (the background) are full of my favorite things: dots, pinpricks, blobs and blotches of all sorts, transparent and opaque, big and small. The "Stillness" areas are also full of my favorite things but it is a mystery to me about why these particular pared down images are important for me to paint (and continue to paint). The central core of the body, the backbone, the safety of the enclosure, keeping out fear and anxiety, the gathering of human circles are possibilities. We have all had our safety diminished. Perhaps this is my response.