the inspiration for nonverbal expression? I do know that I reject the often-stated artist’s burden of “teaching us about ourselves.” Life itself seems to have a way of doing that very well. Neither do I aspire to raise the viewer’s consciousness of social ills; I prefer to leave that to the journalists  and others. An artist once said that you “paint your childhood.” Art certainly must come from that place so strongly imprinted by early impressions of the wonder and mystery of life. I also know that if the viewer has no subconscious link to the psyche of the artist, the painting may as well be a blank canvas.