Tuke One
I began my journey toward the arts at a very young age. Both of my parents are amazing artists, so some might say I have it coursing in my veins. I began drawing and painting at a young age, and some of my fondest memories are tied to those activities in some way, both in my childhood as well as in my adult life. My mother used to draw little cartoons that she would put in my lunches or leave as notes for me while she was at work, and it used to bring me the utmost joy to find these little surprises. I think in some way that probably planted the seed of my desire to create and bring others joy in a similar fashion. When I got into high school I was blessed to have an incredibly talented art teacher who began to mold and shape my ideas about pursuing art in a more serious fashion. It was then that I had the opportunity to work at a larger scale, working both on canvases as well as walls gave me a taste for something I’d never experienced before and that joy has stuck with me my entire life. This was also around the same time I discovered my affinity and appreciation for working with letters, as well as bright vivid colors. As I got toward the end of my senior year my instructor, excited by the progress I’d made, suggested that i think about furthering my education. I decided at that point to move to Denver, Colorado to attend the The Art Institute of Colorado. Upon starting school I was exposed to several styles and ideas that I hadn’t encountered before, one of which being graffiti. I met some other guys that were painting regularly essentially just for the sake of painting. I feel like in some ways this is where my career as an artist truly began. I had sold a couple pieces prior to this point but it was the ability to do large scale work and signage that really began to open doors for me. I spent the next several years painting as often as possible with my predecessors and contemporaries. In many ways I feel I gained more from this self imposed learning than I did from school.
I’m 43 now and have been doing art in some form or fashion ever since. I’ve worked on all kinds of projects from logo design, silk screen designs, commercial signage, all the way up to large scale fine art murals and pretty much everything in between. I can only hope that my art brings the kind of joy to people that I have experienced as the result of other people’s work over the years. There is something inherently beautiful about continuing to test the boundaries of your capabilities and that is the driving force behind my passion for creating. Thank you for your interest and continued support.
