Artist's Bio

I was born in Traverse City, Michigan in 1940. My father was a professional sign maker who exposed us (5 sons and 4 daughters) to the world of drawing, painting, designing, and creating whenever we visited him as he worked in his shop. Quality and pride in our work was stressed by both parents.

After high school, I completed 3 years in the U.S. Army. Afterwards, I attended the Ringling School of Art in Sarasota, Florida, continuing on to receive my Master of Arts degree in 1967 from Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, Illinois. During college and having an emphasis with printmaking, I attended a Gabor Peterdi etching and engraving workshop . I also attended a woodcut workshop put on by Carol Summers and a serigraphy (silk screen) workshop by Antreasian. All three have become internationally recognized artists.

In the fall of 1967 I started my career as an art instructor at Marshfield High School in Coos Bay, Oregon. I also taught part-time at Southwestern Oregon Community College. In 1998, I retired from teaching and am now a full time artist.

My present works are with collage and acrylic painting with an occasional mixed material included in the acrylics. Current ideas for my paintings are taken from sides of railroad boxcars.

Typically, the emphasis in my work is movement and action. I like to see the the finished piece to be alive, active, and energized. The visual art process for me becomes a personal exploration into the explosive, ever-changing dynamics of life.

In the summer of 2002, I attended a full week collage workshop taught by New York artist, Jonathan Talbot. It has allowed me to approach acrylic paintings in a different and creative way. It is the medium with which I am currently working.

During 2005, I attended a two day Monotype workshop which was presented by Frank Janzen, a Tamarind Master Printer from Crow's Shadow Press.

I have shown in many national juried exhibitions, have work in permanent collections, won many awards and purchase awards, had many national and international organizations and businesses use my designs, and have had one-man and group shows.

My work is currently represented at Opus6ix Gallery in Eugene, Oregon and The Artist Loft Gallery in North Bend, Oregon.