I was born in the heartland (Akron Ohio) in 1940 the year of the dragon. The Chinese believe that to be a good thing. I had little choice in the matter. As life unfolds, the things I did choose included College (Purdue University BA. Chapman University, MA) Military Service (Marine Corps, one tour in Vietnam as an Air Controller, retired from the reserves as a LtCol) Graduate school (Indiana University, Ph.D. Educational Technology, with minors in Business and Evaluation).
I came to Florida because I was recruited by the Navy to work at the Naval Training Equipment Center. (My old office is now dust under Baldwin Park) Career moves took me from there to Harris Corp Government Systems Division working on systems engineering of military simulators. Next came a jump to my own consulting company. This coincided with the beginning of what proved to be a seven-year endeavor to build my house and studio. As resources of self-employment wore thin, I was grateful to rejoin the Federal government in the Veterans Benefits Administration and an eventual retirement which has allowed a full time pursuit of a life long urge to make art.
Later involvement with St Richard’s and its current Rector Father Tom Downs, has led to a deep interest in Icon Writing.
I also like to build things. My main concentration is now on sculpture although I continue to paint and draw. My current work draws on multiple threads. My sculpture may at times resemble anatomical parts of insects and persons reflecting my training in biology. For example the use of bilateral symmetry (characteristic of humans and animals) is a subtle connection that hopefully evokes a connection with viewers. I seldom make art with a narrative or story telling approach, at least on the surface level. I do, however, hope that deeper levels of expression and response are possible. At the very least my work must have visual impact and energy. I do sketch conceptual plans for many of my sculptures but as the work proceeds a dialogue emerges between me and the work. The resulting adjustment and experimentation leads to the final out come when in some sense I think it is finished. My outdoor work is so far abstract in the sense that it is not a copy of any existing thing. However the parts often seem to have a function when I try to capture the essence of a mechanical thing. This may or may not evoke a response in the viewer that coincides with my own. But I try and continue the creative building process until something that is visually exciting emerges that is rich enough to hold meaning for a multitude of viewers.
I would never rule out use of any media and existing method of creation and fabrication and continue to experiment with new combinations of materials. For that reason I may not be easily classified. I just call my self a mixed media artist.
