I have been greatly influenced by painters of the ashcan school in New York in the early 20th century. They set out to paint the American city as it was in their day. My goal is to tell the story of the American city of my generation. Using Chicago as my model, I seek to convey the evolution, inequalities, confusion and beauty of the American city. I have also commented in recent work on the difference between suburban and urban culture. The commuter experience and environmental concerns figure heavily in these works.