It was at a very young age that I discovered the impact that art can deliver. When I first saw Maxfield Parish’s “Daybreak" hung in my grandparents' home. The emotional power of the painting transported me to another time and place. Later I discovered Edward Hopper with his wonderfully mesmerizing city scenes and Daniel Garber, with his fantastic ability to portray light through objects and air. These were the influences that spoke to me and unleashed my desire to speak the language of art.

All of my paintings start from direct observation of life. As an avid watcher of people and nature, I enjoy the search for interesting subjects to capture with my camera or paint plein air. When painting in the studio, I frequently combine multiple images to create a specific effect. In addition, my passion for realism results in long, intense hours spent on many of my paintings.

I find that painting is an intensely personal process. It is the love of this process that lures me into working and reworking my paintings to achieve the desired subtle qualities. And it is during this process that I become intimately acquainted with my subject, and ultimately gain insight into achieving my vision.

A mostly self taught artist, the evolution of my creative abilities began with detailed pencil renderings, as well as intricate pen and ink drawings. However, neither medium allowed me to express emotion in the manner or to the degree that I desired. Subsequently, I tried my hand at watercolors, but through natural progression, found my true calling in the radiant colors and reflective abilities of oil paints.

In college, my studies were directed towards three-dimensional art, taking classes in sculpture, metal arts and ceramics. After college I worked in construction and eventually started my own building and remodeling company.

My paintings have received numerous awards, and I am one of the founding members of the Brighton Art Guild. Besides my contemporary realistic painting, I have been a judge in the 2006 and 2007 Brighton Art Festival, the 2007 Ann Arbor Art Fair, and have years of experience in all aspects of exhibiting, including organizing and installation. I am past president of the Brighton Art Guild, active with the Michigan Plein Air Painters, and a member of Oil Painters of America.

A native of the Detroit area, my wife Debbie and I currently reside in a beautiful wooded location north of Ann Arbor, Michigan. We love to travel, especially in the irresistible coastal areas of the Great Lakes, the Pacific Northwest, and the turquoise waters of the Caribbean.