"Painting is my way to connect to the world : I'm quite reserved and I tend to keep myself at a safe distance from others, painting has created a space for me to exist and fit in as an observer. Painting in plein air, painting moments from my life, has made me feel connected to my own life, too : it reminds me to be present, to appreciate the natural world around me, to pay attention to the beauty that’s in it, even the beauty hidden in the ordinary."