This series is meant as a sequel or extension to the work that I had been doing up to this point. Whereas the previous paintings were much more literal interpretations of my subjects, I have now chosen to address the same themes by employing a symbol; in this case a sheep.

In a general sense, I'm using the sheep to serve as a visual metaphor to explore issues of sacrifice and spiritual transformation, not unlike their role in Christian iconography. On a personal level they embody a faith in the future and are meant as a response or answer to my previous work, which was concerned with the past.

This new work marks a departure on a technical level as well. By focusing almost exclusively on this simple form, the sheep has evolved through its repetition from a relatively realistic representation into a much more personal interpretation. In the process, I've become less concerned with the details of the figure I'm portraying and more concerned with the overall mood of the piece, which requires greater attention to the manipulation of color and light.