Long after dark, I venture into bleak urban settings, seeking out dramatic stories and elusive splendor. With the city humming in the background, I find inspiration where there should not be any. My alleys are an inverted reality. With a family history of homelessness, I carried the belief that I was next, and developed a need to create monuments out of these irrelevant places.

My outings are determined and intense adventures and often lead to journeys into dangerous neighborhoods - pilgrimages that have repeatedly resulted in trouble. I have run from street gangs, been accosted by crazed drug addicts, and have had guns pointed at me. If the police see me lurking in a dark alley, I am questioned - or worse. Although positive life-affirming perceptions are not usually associated with dark and decaying alleys, upon a closer look they do exist. Within this acute urban decay, I find moments of peace.