In 1971, I was born in Indiana, just outside of Chicago. My family settled down later in Reno, Nevada where I spent my formative years. Early in my youth, I made the conscious decision between becoming a musician or an artist. Years later, I would move yet further west to study at the Art Institute of Seattle, cementing my chosen path. It's not often that one finds a great teacher, much less a good friend, but in Henry Stinson I found both. He was one of the rare few who introduced me to and helped me build my foundation in anatomy drawing. Lightning struck twice, however, and he introduced me to his painting teacher Ron Lukas, whose easy brushstrokes and bold use of color were like nothing the Art Institute was offering.
For the next two years, I followed in the footsteps of Russian Impressionism under his tutelage, and then continued on with Henry. It wasn't too long after that he inspired me to venture off on my own, to find my own voice.
I soon found myself knee deep in the video game industry as a concept artist creating worlds and characters. Then I proceeded to travel through the field of 3d modeling, animation, and textures. I ended up circling back to Concepts and Visual Development all the while painting from life in my free time and honing my craft along the way. 15 plus years later, I am still pushing myself to improve my painting from life as well as my imagination.
I don't subscribe to one belief system, but I do believe that one needs to change and grow beyond the confines of culture and the validation of those around you. The balance of peace and tranquility in my life is the starting point for me when brush touches canvas. Dropping the beliefs of others that I have adopted as my own and searching for what lies beneath, that's the place I strive to create from.
Tactful color harmony, composition and mindful brushwork are the tools I use to create evocative and atmospheric paintings. Accurately loose brushwork is something I continuously push myself to master. In the end, my desire, is that the awareness I bring to my paintings, Sparks yours.
