“When I was a boy, I would see vivid colors everywhere; from picking wildflowers on the hillside for my mom, to seeing vivid colors in the feathers of my pigeons and all the nature around me. My grandparents are full Portuguese from the Azores Islands, so bright colors are in my DNA. The diversity and events of the Bay Area in the 60’s was a huge influence on me as well. I was in the middle of Haight & Ashbury and saw Carlos Santana, James Brown, Tower of Power, and all the great musicians of that era up close and personal. I soaked up all of this culture and it later burst onto my canvases in eclectic and diverse ways. Art has been healing for me throughout my life and it is my hope that others can be inspired into healing by art, as well.”