I was born 1978 in Madison, Wisconsin. After graduating from West High School, where I studied ceramics and sculpture under Don Hunt, I was accepted into the Commercial Art program at Madison Area Technical College. There I studied Ad/Graphic Design and Illustration. Soon after my enrolment in this program, drawing, painting, and ceramics became the focus of my career.
Encouraged by Chris Gargan and John Ribble, the two professors who mentored me at MATC and with the support of my family, I then moved to Chicago, Illinois to attend the American Academy of Art. There, I became enamored with the paintings and techniques of John Singer Sargent, Antonio Mancini, Anders Zorn and Joaquin Sorolla. (just to name a few)
At the American Academy, I studied painting and drawing under Ted Smuskiewicz. I was taught the technical and conceptual methods of the Dutch, Flemish, Spanish and late 19th century European and American painters. The emphasis in each of these periods was Au Premier Coup (Alla Prima) and En Plein Air (Plein Air). Eager to learn more and continually work on my art, I was encouraged by Ted to attend night Classes at the Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Art also in Chicago.
After a year of hard studies at the American Academy and the Palette & Chisel, I then moved to Columbus, Ohio to attend and graduate with a BFA from Columbus College of Art & Design. There I continued to study painting and drawing under Gordon Lee, Gregg Kumlien, Lowell Tolstedt and Dennis Drummond, while also furthering my studies in sculpture and ceramics under the instruction of Curtis Benzle, Bill Hunt, and Kaname Takada.
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