About the Artist
About the Artist
I am a native Texan, born in El Paso, TX in 1962, I have been fortunate enough to have lived in the Texas Valley, North Texas, & West coast of Florida. I now reside in Grapevine, TX with my wife Shanna; my 2 kids and grandson live close by in the North Texas area.
I have always known from my earliest age that I wanted to be an artist. I studied art throughout my school years & in college and was lucky enough to be inspired by some very special art teachers and family who strongly encouraged me along the way. I have always surrounding myself with art, even working in art supply stores. When I wasn't working or involved in sports I always found myself buried in art books reading or at museums studying & learning about other artist and their techniques. I continued training and learning privately from several artist in watercolors & oils studying landscapes and portraiture for several years. My desire to learn more and push myself to grow as an artist continues to this day as I frequently learn from my mentor and long time friend, the internationally-known artist Joe Sambataro. I truly believe that every artist has something to teach us all and that I will always have so much to learn. What truly captivates and inspires me is that painting is a life long lesson.
Inspiration
My inspiration comes from every location I have been fortunate to have lived or traveled to and had a great impact and has inspired my passion for painting landscapes. From the tropical beauty of the Texas Valley, the crashing waves of the Gulf coast, to the bluebonnets of the hill country to the sunny California coast, and Florida's tropical beauty to the incredibly relaxing settings of the Caribbean. I am always looking for the that one spectacular moment or setting that will capture the beauty and serenity of that one moment in time.
I try not to recreate the scene as photorealism but I want to capture the incredible colors of a sunset, stunning bright colors of a bright sunny day or the crispness of a cold winters day that will help me capture the mood and feel of that moment. I feel that the viewer should feel an emotional connection to that painting. Maybe it reminds them of their favorite vacation, the hometown they grew up in or just a special place that they can reflect upon. As an artist it gives me great pleasure to know that someone who views my paintings will be able to view and enjoy that painting bringing back special memories and forget about their hurried world for a moment.
I use a vary wide ranged color palette that helps create the mood of that moment. Mixing the soft subtle grays to the high energy impact of the bright vibrant colors that seem to jump off of the canvas. My style or technique is just as varied as the colors. I use a mixture of realism with impressionism to help create the relaxing tones. I have always been inspired by the colors, moodiness luminescent settings of such artist like Thomas Moran, Fredrick Edwin Church to Dalhart Windberg and Thomas Kincaid, Monet and so many more.