Clairon Ferrono says "Our nation, our world seems pretty ragged today. The Torn Things series was inspired by Tibetan prayer flags and Japanese and other indigenous peoples' prayer trees. Each piece represents a prayer, a plea, an incantation for betterment of: climate, resources, political life."

"I am an observational figurative painter. I work exclusively from life and find inspiration in the urban environment around my studio. Many of my models are people from the neighborhood. I talk to my models while I paint and this helps me to connect with them. My goal as an artist is to open the door to my emotions and sharpen my eye as an observer."

Image: Clairon Ferrono