I currently live in San Francisco, where I have worked as a counselor and artist for the past 20 years. My interest in spirituality has taken me to Thailand, Laos, India, Nepal, Ecuador, Peru and, most importantly to me, Brazil. I began my interest in Buddhism in college, and practiced as a Buddhist until my introduction in 1997 to the practice of Santo Daime, a syncretic ayahuasca church founded in Brazil. I have also explored various other shamanistic paths, some involving power plants and others relying on rhythm to induce trance and facilitate access to the astral. I have found this work to be a rich source of material for my paintings.