Bedtime Cleansing Ritual

28" x 30"
Oil on linen

"This painting was an exploration of my coming to terms with being a gay teenager and all the unknowns and insecurities that came with it. Only when I was alone, in the darkness and safety of my bed was I able to give myself permission to dream and let those insecurities wash over me. I would allow myself to fantasize about a life that was filled with adventures that were both sexual and intimate. Acceptance came in the form of dreams and hopes that someone, somewhere, in the darkness of the night, would hear my plea for belonging. Lots has changed since but I painted this as the final chapter for that scared child, giving him a painted window out of that fear."