: Bio
Born and raised in Irving, Texas, I grew up in a family of hardworking, hands-on, creative people. When I was young, my grandmother provided for my sisters and I to attend painting classes, which was my introduction to working with oils. It was her passion later in life that she wanted to share with her grandchildren. She was a prolific artist, even though she didn’t start painting until she was 65, and she strongly believed in fostering creativity. It formed the idea in me that art would last over my entire lifetime and was not to be considered finite. I also had an interest in woodworking, which was passed on to me by my grandfather. As early as high school I was designing and building things like cabnetry and roll-top desks. Early in my life I was found to be dyslexic and working with my hands was a more comfortable way for me to express myself through my youth, which seem to influnece me greatly as a foundation in my life.
After high school, I joined the Marine Corp, and was stationed for two years in the Philippines. I served the rest of my term in countries throughout Europe and also Africa. Martial arts has been a continued interest that I have studied for more than a decade and now teach to others.
In 1991, after my time in service had ended, I returned to Dallas and the creative urge hit again. I started producing art that I felt was distinctive, but not yet focused. Then I met and was mentored by a local, highly sought after artist and educator who taught me a lot about the creative process behind art. While I studied other artists with new appreciation, I also had a clearer vision of the type of art I wanted to produce. As I refine that vision, I’m seeing interest in my work grow from a local level to now having collectors overseas. As it expands, I’ll continue to push my own boundaries outward, because art, and artists, should always be evolving
