As an artist, I work hard to develop paintings that speak both to me and to others about the beauty that exists in the ruins of ancient societies. Part of my process before I begin painting is to read as much as I can about the specific set of ruins I am about to recreate on canvas. I do not merely want to capture the image with my brushes; rather, with careful, colorful strokes, I want to give that society life once more. I try with every finished work to breathe life into a long forgotten culture so that its designs, ideas, innovations, and lifestyle are displayed on my canvas. The challenge, as with any recreated moment from the past, is to not caricature the moment and instead capture it in all its former glory. My artwork speaks, not only for me, but for people who were long ago silenced. Downloaded from http://www.wikihow.com