My antecedents were mostly motion picture designers and professional artists. As a result, I had the benefit of being told in no uncertain terms how hideously difficult and yet deeply rewarding, creative work is.
I was apprenticed at Disney’s R&D facility–WED Enterprises while I attended Art Center College of Design. After a stint as a Disney Show Designer I started working independently as a designer and teaching (also at ACCD) in 1977. This went on with varying degrees of success and frustration until 2000, when I decided to dedicate all my time and effort to being a fine artist. I still do a little teaching when I feel like it.
I am currently expanding my body of work, most of which is landscape-based, with a touch of the surreal and as much whimsy as I can get away with.
Major influences include Gustave Courbet, George Inness, Wayne Thiebaud, Richard Bunkall and Francis Livingston. My figurative work is influenced, to a degree, by Steve Huston, though I mostly paint the figure just for practice, or to teach.