My name is Baruch Golden. I have lived in the Bay Area most of my life working as a registered nurse, including the last 14 years doing hospice nursing. Now retired, I have time to develop my own artwork. I've had no formal art education, but have taken a few classes at the community colleges. In high school I focused on visual arts and ceramics and worked part-time designing and painting murals on the bottom of swimming pools. The last two years, I have been drawing self-portraits and portraits of family and friends; working with graphite and pastels, toned paper and collage. My art is influenced by my experiences as a gay man, my meditation practice, and plant medicine experiences. I can't imagine a life without art. Making art is a great joy.