A Foundation in Art and Music
I was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and raised in nearby Oconomowoc, where art and music became lifelong passions. After studying art in Cincinnati and graduating with honors, I spent many years working in a variety of creative fields as a professional musician, worship and music director, illustrator, and artist.
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Over the course of my career, I had the opportunity to create artwork for professional athletes and organizations associated with the NFL, MLB, and NBA. While I enjoyed success as an illustrator, I always had a deep appreciation for the great representational painters and hoped that someday I might devote myself more fully to fine art.
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That opportunity came in a way I never expected...
Starting Over, Ten Minutes at a Time
In 2017, at 58 years old, with a mortgage and monthly bills to pay, I found myself recovering from a second back surgery. Unemployed, unemployable, and very uncertain about my future, it was a time of great angst that really tried my faith in God and His promises of provision.
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As I was recovering, I decided to start painting again, but this time in oils, a medium totally foreign to me. Because of my back situation, I could only paint in ten-minute increments, then I would have to rest on ice packs long enough to recover and get back to work. With much trepidation, and after many weeks in this condition, I eventually finished my first oil painting entitled LENA.
Pursuing a Lifelong Dream
It was around this time that I visited a local Barnes & Noble bookstore and discovered both PleinAir and Fine Art Connoisseur magazines. Like manna from heaven, these publications had a tremendous impact on my life. Up until that point, life seemed to be losing direction and purpose. I was so inspired by the artists, articles, and paintings featured in those magazines that when I awoke in the mornings, I found myself excited again and feeling a strong sense of purpose returning.
For the first time, I could clearly see a path forward.
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At an age when many people are beginning to slow down, I was learning how to paint in oils and pursuing a lifelong dream. What began as a difficult season slowly became a new chapter filled with growth, learning, and opportunity. Through countless hours at the easel, I developed a deeper appreciation for the beauty of God's creation and for the challenge of trying to capture it honestly in paint.
Since those days, I have been blessed by the Lord's faithfulness and have completed many enjoyable commissions while continuing to grow as an artist. My work is influenced by a lifelong love of people, wildlife, rural America, and the everyday moments that often go unnoticed. Whether painting a portrait, a landscape, or a favorite animal, my goal is always the same: to create work that is sincere, skillfully crafted, and worthy of the subject.
The Work Continues
I am deeply grateful for my beautiful family, whose love and support have sustained me throughout this journey. I am also grateful for the opportunity to present my first solo museum exhibition at the Grohmann Museum in Milwaukee in May of 2027.
Looking back, I can see that what once felt like a setback became an unexpected blessing. The road was certainly not one I would have chosen, but it ultimately led me back to the thing I loved most all along: painting.