Runnin Down A Dream

Growing up in a small town in rural Pennsylvania (Bangor, PA) I was surrounded by beauty in nature and wildlife. In my younger years I had a strong urge to learn about and get as close to the animals as possible, as all children naturally do. This urge formed into a desire to create drawings and paintings of exotic wildlife and dynamic scenes in nature that fell outside of the realm of possibility for where I was physically located. I dreamt of experiencing safaris in Africa and witnessing the great zebra and wildebeest herds crossing crocodile infested rivers. I dreamt of traveling to the wild forests of Siberia and catching a glimpse of a rare and dangerous Siberian Tiger. I dreamt of trekking through the Amazon rainforest and listening to the foreign calls of birds I’ve never seen or heard of before. Mostly, I was out for adventure and the best way I could get a “piece” of that was by living the experience through my artistic endeavors.

As I grew into my teens, my art transitioned into a more contemporary form of trying to express how I felt about life through my art instead of merely trying to just illustrate a scene or an animal. After high school (seeking actual adventure) I enlisted with the Unites States Marine Corps. and during the spring, summer and much of the fall of 2009 I was deployed to Helmand Province Afghanistan with HMH-772 based out of NAS Willowgrove Pennsylvania. I did not paint or draw during my time in the Marine Corps reserve as I was busy growing a technology business, starting a family, renovating our home and trying to find time to get out to fish and hike after deployment.

As my family matured, the business was becoming more profitable and we purchased 3 more rental properties. I felt as though there was a void and something I was created for was not taking place… creating ART! Over the last three years, with the patience and help from my wife and supportive family, I began to reinvent myself and start painting again. Becoming a full time professional artist now has more meaning to me than it ever has before. I now try to tell an emotional story behind every painting I create and paint with the thought in mind that this creation will be communicating with people I will most likely never meet in person or have a verbal communication with.

I hope my passion, love, adventures, emotions and thoughts can speak directly to you and there is a connection there. I hope to inspire you to truly pass on to the next generation your form of “art”, whatever that might be and to never stop being inspired and being a beacon of inspiration for others.