As we go about our daily rituals, we obviously look at and see many things. Some events register in our memories while others do not. Of the things that register, have we done a close observational view or just take the visual information for granted? My Contemporary Realism paintings are inspired by observations of the certain elements pertaining to the lighting, colors and textures of the southwest environment and other travels. Craig's focus on southwestern skies, landscapes and flora captures his vision while also addressing social, political and environmental issues related to the unprepared for dramatic population growth in the region and beyond.