WHY

I have an M.S. in Horticulture but have never had an art class. But God graced me with a gift. So in 1991, my wife and I stuck our TV in a closet for one year to begin developing our talents and to help our three young sons discover theirs.

HOW

I studied the masters, soaking in every piece of information and pouring it onto canvas and walls. I started as a muralist in Virginia and North Carolina. When I got too old to hang off ladders painting murals, I shifted my focus to the fine art of oil paintings and portraits.

I read books and watched videos of too many artists to count, and I attended as many workshops as my time and bank account would allow. Internationally renowned portrait artist John de la Vega mentored me, and I welcomed his critique and that of other artists, which drives me to hone my craft.

MY WORK

I paint original oil paintings and portraits, and my work is representational to impressionism. Music plays an intricate part in my artwork, and I must have music to paint.

I've been fortunate to have conducted painting workshops, taught private art lessons, and instructed a senior-level university intern.

Private collectors from the U.S., Canada, Thailand, and Malawi own commissioned pieces or have purchased one of my originals from a fine arts gallery.

WHERE

My wife and I moved to Blacksburg, Virginia in 2017 to invest in the lives of our grandchildren. Ten miles away, I set up a studio in an old community arts center and filled it with paint-stained easels, rolls of canvas, and a well-used coffee pot.

LIFE AWAY FROM THE EASEL

When I paint, I feel God's pleasure. But I have other passions too. I love people. I am husband to Shelley, dad to Joseph (1984-2002), Curt and Wyatt, and Poppy to Cole and Clare. I enjoy playing the violin & guitar, reading & studying history, and am fascinated by the science of growing food.

(View CV here.)