Early in my career, I was interested in painting animal subjects alongside evidence of human activity. “The Struggle” represents a return to that idea. Our pool is only a few steps from my studio, and I noticed this bee struggling in the water. I routinely rescue insects from the pool, but there was something about the light hitting this subject that was mesmerizing, and started to see it’s valiant struggle as a metaphor for my own. I snaped a few quick pictures and then rescued the bee from the pool, watching it fly off with the immediate and powerful feeling that this quiet little drama was one I needed to paint.