Biography and artists statement

With sixty years of experience, I am largely self taught but have attended some formal classes: I studied with the late Howard Trafton at the Art Students League of New York, (I was his evening monitor) and have attended workshops, (Sigmund Abeles, Judi Betts, Kim Casebeer, Linda A. Doll, Serge Hollerbach, Jack O'Neal, John Salminen, Mel Stabin, Arne Westerman and Joseph Zbukvic). I also participate frequently in life-drawing sessions.

In juried exhibitions I've had numerous works hung across the country, winning my share of awards. I have served as a juror myself. I'm a member of around a dozen art groups with signature membership in the National, the North East, the Southern, the Kansas and the Pennsylvania Watercolor Societies, (NWS, NEWS, SW, KWS & PWS) as well as full active membership in Audubon Artists Inc., based upon watercolor submissions.

I love using watercolor however half my work these days is done with pens, markers, acrylics or oils. I find that the switching off forces me to think out my process more carefully and further, makes it more fun.

As a visitor to this website will become aware, I do a lot of outdoor "plein air" painting. I've painted outside in England and Australia as well as widely in the USA.

Between April 2007 and October 2010 I completed a personal challenge to create at least three pieces of artwork, (11x15 inches or larger) in each of the 105 counties of Kansas. Over 50 nights in motels, over 10,600 miles driving and I had them done. I'm now working on a fourth piece.