PLEASANT GARDEN, NC // 1981 - 1988
A small town south of Greensboro served as my home and studio after graduating from UNC Greensboro in 1981. The 40-acre farm provided pasture land for my landlord's cattle, and the house on the property was a dream come true for an artist looking for affordable housing and work space. There were some drawbacks. including no indoor plumbing or heat, but that was part of the challenge of this living experience.
This was a very important time for me artistically. I made my first trip to the New England Aquarium and set up my first studio post graduation. I would spend the next eight years painting landscape on the farm and honing my skills as a studio artist.
I continued to work for my landlord on several of his farms in addition to doing yard work for customers in town to make ends meet. In 1987, I had my most successful show to date inspired by my visit to the aquarium in 1980. The work was exhibited at St. John's Museum of Art in Wilmington, NC. Following the success of the show, I headed to Wilmington the following year.
WILMINGTON, NC // 1988 - Present
In May 1988, I set up shop in a commercial building located on the corner of 3rd and Castle Street in downtown Wilmington, NC. The success of my aquarium installation at St. John's Museum of Art the previous year created enough commission work for me to shift to a full-time studio career.
I was fortunate to be commissioned for many public art pieces in libraries, aquariums, restaurants, offices and homes in the area. I also begin showing work at New Elements Gallery, which provided another source of income. While the aquarium theme has defined my work for many years, I have moved steadily in different directions in the last 10 years. Subjects ranging from birds to four-legged beasts have made appearances throughout my career. More recently, I have introduced figurative subjects into my work.
Today, I can be found working in my studio at Acme Art Studios, located in the Brooklyn Arts District in downtown Wilmington. I have had the good fortune to find a great working environment surrounded by an inspiring group of fellow artists.
