The subjects I choose to paint are personal to me, and it is my desire to share that connection with the viewer. In this painting, Gifts from Golzar II, I present images of two black and red clay pots from 50 years ago. Golzar was the maid that my family had when we were living in Tehran, Iran in the early 1970’s. She was an amazingly strong little woman who supported her family of ten on extremely meager wages. When I graduated high school, she presented me with these two clay pots. I hand carried them on the airplane all the way from Iran to California. Knowing how impoverished she was, they were, and have always been a treasured gift. This is how I honor both the gift, and the giver, Golzar.