MY ARTIST JOURNEY

It’s always been the “hows” and “what ifs” that encouraged my artistic journey. With curiosity as my primary motivator, and the reaction of a simple shoulder shrug if something didn’t turn out as planned, helped me weather many disappointing artistic efforts yet kept the door for my creative wanderlust wide open for more experimenting and exploring.

A Brief List Of Moments In My Life

Graduated from SIUE: Bachelor
Degree in Fine Art and an Associate Degree in Graphic Design

Full-time Graphic Designer from 1986 - 2008

Co-founder of the Missouri Plein Air Painter’s Association (MOPAPA) in 2000

Married my amazing wife, Elizabeth - 2006

Full-time artist from 2008 - present

Part-owner of OA Gallery in Kirkwood, MO from 2010 - 2018

Heartland Art Club Founding Member and member from 2018 - present

SIX THEMED SOLO SHOWS

JANUARY

BONSACK ART GALLERY

"January" showcased 31 oil paintings of the St. Louis region, featuring at least one image for each day of January. Each painting had to be completed in one day, once the day had ended that canvas could not be revisited. Second, each painting had to be completed 100% outdoors, once removed from the field location, positively zero touch up could be applied. It was also the coldest January in over a decade.

MISSOURI PRAIRIES en PLEIN AIR

ALBRECHT-KEMPER MUSEUM OF ART

“Missouri Prairies en Plein Air” was a solo exhibit at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art containing 128 paintings documenting Missouri’s prairies throughout all four seasons, various times of day and night, in a variety of weather conditions, along with images of controlled prairie burns, close-up intimate scenes, and vast views, all completed 100% en plein air.

40 x 60 PAINTING FROM THE 500 FT RADIUS SHOW

I used nails, screws, bungee cords, rope, strapping and stakes to keep my sixteen plus square foot canvas anchored to the ground. I was proud of my ingenuity and confident my structure would withstand anything the day’s weather would throw against it. About three-fourths into the painting a monstrous gust of wind proved me wrong. It lifted the entire canvas off the ground, tore off two legs and rendered all my carefully placed wrappings useless. Thankfully a good samaritan was visiting when disaster struck. He was able to support the canvas while I jury-rigged the structure. If a “Save a Plein Air Painting” badge existed, he would have received several.

MY ARTIST JOURNEY

SIX THEMED SOLO SHOWS

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