The key to understanding an artist often lies in understanding their inspirations. I'd like to start sharing with you some of mine.

It all started with Jan Vermeer. The Girl with the Pearl Earring is one of the first pieces of fine art that made me stop, think, and wonder. Is this cliche? Probably. The painting is world-renown and is probably among the paintings that just about anyone could list if asked to name important art. But there's a reason for that.

I was fortunate enough to get to see this painting in person when it came to the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco a couple of years ago. It was breathtaking. There's the gleaming oil paint with a luminous quality that makes the viewer feel as though this girl was standing right there, which alone is a tremendous accomplishment. But there's also something more: that enchanting quality of light that lets you know that this is something you should stop and pay attention to, even just for a moment.

That's what I seek to do with my art. It's a lofty goal, but what's the point of goals that aren't hard to reach?