TWELVE PORTRAITS_ The small 2D pieces are a reaction to the dismantling of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. I wholeheartedly embrace DEI. It is the strength of the United States — this mix of cultures, colors, ethnicities, and belief systems that make up our country. It's beautiful. It's something to be celebrated, not dismantled. It was also a difficult reality of my childhood, when I moved from New York to Newport Beach. Using swatches of upholstery fabric, I created portraits. They poured out of me — two or three a day. I didn't let myself self-censor, no matter how unconventional they felt. Shapes, patterns, and colors came together into these beautiful, unruly faces. Eventually the small portraits grew into larger portrait paintings, which carry more emotional weight; their scale forces direct confrontation with the viewer.