Monkeys are funny. And delicious.

There are no limits to the ways people can be photographed. Sometimes, the picture tells a story even beyond the person being photographed. It may even say something about all of us. It’s not always necessary to offer a direct likeness of someone. A stilled and even ambiguous moment may capture something unique and captivating. I like portraits that are suggestive. My idea of flattering a subject is not necessarily to make them look like a magazine ad or a model. It is to imbue their portrait with character.

I look for individual and expressive gestures, for backdrops and locations that can deepen the sense of who we are. Often, the least expected environment or pose can bring out the most striking side of someone, capturing and creating instants of openness and authenticity. The truth of a portrait lies both in what it represents and in the possibilities it offers.

At their most imaginative, portraits can be theater, playing with masks and personas, revealing dramatic character, telling a visual tale.

Much of my photography represents a commitment to my peers in the gay community and to continued visibility as we age. The photos stem from an interest in and attraction to those around me. Intimacy, curiosity, desire and sometimes even a healthy discomfort or fear guide me. I am looking at and getting to know these men . . . and they are looking back.

For three decades now, I have been setting up camp around the world. From my Princeton sandbox to the Plaza 
of Sonoma, I have worked from what is revealed by site and the fingerprints I impart always with the help of 
strangers. From Houston to San Francisco, from Rome to Rio, from Bangkok to Barcelona, I have immersed myself in extreme urban environments. My most current work of the past 2+ years finds inspiration from a 2010 trip to my maternal homeland Arequipa, Peru and a 2013 trip to "The Motherland" Greece. The building blocks from both cultures serve as the cells for my two dimensional constructions.  My art considers site, community, material and experience using architectural language and materials from or inspired by imaginary & actual sites. From the visual language of selected landscapes and the stories of those residing in those spaces, the framework for my artwork is constructed.

SMAart Gallery & Studio was founded in September 2012 and opened its doors at 1045 Sutter Street in San Francisco.

SMAart offers gallery exhibits, studio rentals and ceramic classes.  While the center primarily caters to ceramic artists, artists of every media are welcome.  Founder Steven M Allen opened SMAart to fulfill a longtime dream of having a gallery, a place to teach art to the community, and a place to create art in a creative open environment surrounded by other inspiring artists.  

Conveniently located in the Lower Nob Hill neighborhood with access to several major bus lines.  SMAart is also positioned in the heart of the Lower Polk Art Walk offering participating artists access to a burgeoning art scene.