Artist Bio
My range of work includes painting, graphic design, and wood sculpture. I'm a Jacksonville native who graduated from the University of North Florida with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design in 2001. During that time, my paintings were displayed at the Ritz Theatre and LaVilla Museum in Jacksonville and later at The Morean Arts Center in St. Petersburg, Florida. For two years, I've worked as an illustrator for an aspiring children's book author and had a pen and ink drawing published in Impact Press magazine in 2002.
In 2005, I earned a Master's degree from Webster University where I learned how to finance my painting commissions and graphic design projects. It didn't help me land a job in the corporate world, but it was useful when I began painting portraits for professional athletes, friends, and family members. My left wrist injury and surgery later that year led to a revival of my childhood painting style which consisted of wild, vivid colors, and vigorous brushstrokes. My influences include Cubism and Abstract Expressionism. Commissioned studio work comes every now and then, but I found time to paint 'en plein air'. I've also taken an economical and environmental approach to creating art by using discarded wood and metal to produce abstract sculptures of the human form. My statues are generally held together by either screws, glue, or thin aluminum rods which act as a skeleton to hold the joints in place.
From 2006 to 2012, I produced commercial art for web designers and small businesses from Florida to Wisconsin. Projects included prototype drawings, logos, and illustrations for children's books and magazines. In recent years, I taught a series of graphic design courses, fine art workshops, painting demonstrations, and artist talks for various schools and art organizations. In 2015, I was a part-time fine arts instructor at the University of North Florida where I taught several painting and drawing courses in the Continuing Education Department for five years. In 2016, I became a resident artist at the CoRK Arts District in Jacksonville.
My work is represented by Grand Image in Seattle, Washington. I have been featured in several regional art exhibits and participated in youth art outreach activities in Jacksonville and St. Augustine. Some of my paintings were published in three consecutive ArtWanted.com international art calendars (2008, 2009, and 2010). In 2013, I was given the honor of Featured Artist at the semi-annual A Brush With Nature, a premier outdoor painting event fundraiser for the Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens. I am building my mural portfolio with projects for public places, interior designers, and collaborating with other artists. My work can be found in private collections and public institutions.