biography and artists statement

With well over fifty 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, (Jack O'Neal, Linda A. Doll, Judi Betts, Sigmund Abeles, Arne Westerman, Kim Casebeer, John Salminen, Mel Stabin and Serge Hollerbach). I participate weekly in the local life-drawing sessions.

I participate in juried exhibitions and have 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 Southern, the North East, and the Pennsylvania Watercolor Societies, (NWS, SW, NEWS & PWS) as well as full 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 April 2008 I completed a personal challenge to create at least two pieces of artwork, (11x15 inches or larger) in each of the 105 counties of Kansas, within one year. 32 nights in motels, 7,600 miles driving and I have them done.