Number 40

"Number 40" is a powerful painting that captures the trauma of the January 17, 1989, massacre at Cleveland Elementary School in Stockton, California. Through dynamic brushstrokes and intense color, the artist evokes the chaos and heartbreak surrounding the event where Patrick Purdy shot and killed five children, wounding many others before taking his own life. The work reflects influences of Abstract expressionism and Abstract art, emphasizing emotional intensity over realism. The painting serves as a visceral reminder of gun violence and tragedy, capturing the chaos and loss in a raw, evocative manner.