PORTRAITURE, FACES & MASKS - This painting represents my own personal reactions to the tragedy of September llth. In July, 2002, I visited Ground Zero in New York and I was profoundly moved. Upon returning to Vancouver, I felt compelled to paint this painting. I was having nightmares about September llth and it was only after I did several pastel sketches that I began to feel calmer.

This painting was one of the most difficult works I’ve ever done. I had to stop at times due to the fact that I was crying while I was painting it. It was a very emotionally draining painting to create.

The angel’s face in the center symbolizes the American people and the long moving hair creates the sensation of many fleeing spirits. This painting is dedicated to all of the innocent victims and families who have suffered such a terrible loss. The crying Moslem women represent the fact that many Moslem people were horrified by this event. It also symbolizes the women who had been suffering under the Taliban.

And, as well, I feel that the terrorists must have been at a terribly low level to be willing to commit suicide and to kill innocent people. What can this possibly say about humankind? The main point that I am trying to make is that the world can no longer ignore the suffering of anyone from any country at any time. The candle in the center symbolizes hope so that those who died did not die in vain.