I  honestly don't remember when I didn't paint.  My mom says I started about 18 months old     

when I painted her sofa.  

I lived most of my early life in the panhandle of Texas where the green fields go on forever and the skies are even bigger.  Summers were spent camping with family in the mountains of Northern New Mexico.  Although I find beauty in a seascape I find the comfort of home and memories in mountain views, big skies and sweeping plains.  I have no doubt my love of nature stems from my childhood experiences

I went to West Texas A&M as a Graphics Art student thinking I could never make enough money as a studio artist.  Although I was doing well in my classes I found producing art for the purpose of selling and promoting things stole the joy of making art.  I couldn't define it at that time I just knew I lost something in the process.  I walked away from my art training in the middle of my Junior year. I finished out a degree in Business Administration.

Business did not fit well.  I quickly moved on to my other love, medicine.  I become a Paramedic and have spent most of my adult life as a paramedic.  Ironically this brought me back to art.  I was hanging out one day waiting on the pager to go off calling me in to work.  I was new to Fort Worth so  I headed to the botanic gardens.  Immediately I was immersed in the beauty and quiet of nature.  It was astounding the quiet  that is achieved in a garden in the middle of a bustling city.  I wanted to paint what I saw and experienced that day.  I ran to the store bought a cheap set of Prang  watercolors and tablet of paper.  The pager never went off leaving me to sit painting the Japanese Garden all day.  I still own those paintings and would never sell them. With those paintings I found what I lost.  The ability to just paint what makes me happy.  I still love to immerse myself in a painting.  An afternoon of painting a beautiful flower, an interesting face or a mountain path is my idea of a perfect afternoon.

My painting has been my source of strength,  calm  and inspiration for the past 27 years.  My "real job" may pay the rent but the art feeds my soul.