When our plane landed in the Virgin Islands, I wasn’t prepared for the emotional and physical impact of stepping into such an extraordinary place. The intense humidity, brilliant tropical greens, and endless layers of vegetation created an experience unlike anywhere I had ever been.

This painting grew from those memories, my infrared photographs, and the feeling of living inside a landscape saturated with color. I intentionally used Windex to encourage the paint to drip, allowing the surface to mimic the humidity and perspiration I felt almost immediately after arriving. Rather than controlling every mark, I let gravity become part of the creative process.

The whitewashed architecture, dramatic angles of the cliffside homes, tropical botany, hummingbirds, and unexpected cactus all became part of the composition. Neon color felt like the only language capable of expressing the intensity of the island. Multiple mixed media materials build layers of texture and movement, creating a painting that is less about documenting a place than remembering how it felt to be there.