| My first inspiration and love for art arrived early. My childhood interest in drawing led me to attend an elementary art workshop that introduced me to an exciting new world. I continued studies through middle and high school focusing my efforts in the visual arts. In the years following high school graduation, I relocated to the Pacific Northwest where I took a job as a custom picture framer. Working in this industry kindled the idea to create art on a full-time basis. I began drawing and progressed into painting. I found my audience excited about my work, about the mood each painting seemed to be able to emulate. To this day, the mood that each piece is intended to convey is of paramount importance from conception to completion in my creative process.
I attended Utah College of Massage Therapy in 2000 with the intent to apply studies of human anatomy, -specifically skeletal and muscle structure, to my oil painting and figure drawing. I continue to learn and grow by pursuing studies with recognized practicing professional artists. These include the amazing talents and generosity of Shanna Kunz, Scott Christensen, Del Parson, Elizabeth Robbins, Steve Childs, John Hughes, Eric Wallis, and Robert Moore. As with most artists, I occasionally work and experiment with a variety of medium. I favor oils, charcoal, and sculpting in clay. I also believe in the age-old tradition of giving back what is given through teaching creative courses of all levels, both at local art centers and offering private lessons in my studio. I have served as both President and Vice President of the Palette Club of Ogden, a long-lived local arts organization in northern Utah that is rooted in the mid-20th century. |
