Biography

      
  I was raised in East Africa on the plains of the Serengeti National Park and the jungles of West Africa where I began drawing as a child. My father was an exceptional wildlife photographer, teacher and world adventurer, taking us to the remote far corners of the globe. My brother was a wood sculptor who lived in the jungles of West Africa until his death.
 
  After college I spent 21 years flying helicopters for the US Army and the US Coast Guard from a myriad of locations throughout the world to include Antarctica, Greenland, Korea, Vietnam and South America.  After my retirement from the Coast Guard I flew emergency medical helicopters for hospitals in Texas, Arizona and California, and fire suppression helicopters for the California Division of Forestry. My flying career ended due to an extensive cardiac operation in 1998 at which time I began my journey as a full time fine artist.

  I am primarily self- taught except for regular attendance at plein air oil painting workshops with a variety of renowned oil painters to include: Craig Nelson, John Budecin, Ned Mueller, Ray Roberts, and Kathleen Dunphy.

  I prefer Plein Air oil painting where I try in some small way to capture the essence and spirit of the place. I travel extensively painting on location around the country.  I also paint in my studio using my photographs or my memory as a reference. I prefer to paint in a loose, quick impressionistic style, rather than photographic realism. I especially enjoy the application and tactile quality of thick oil paint with bright expressive color and visible brushstrokes.

  My work has been accepted in 10 national juried shows. I was selected to paint an image of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area on a large Christmas tree Ornament for the White House Christmas Tree in December 2007, and attended a reception hosted by the First lady, Laura Bush at the White House. My paintings are in numerous private collections around the country.