Raised in North Deering, Portland, Maine. schooled at Lunt School, Lyseth, Lyman Moore, and Portland High School. My first serious interest in art was in Architectural Engineering class at Portland Vocational. Inspired locally by Will Harrison, and Bob Drinon. My Hero’s were and are Dali, MC Escher, and my Voc. teacher Ed Lawler. He said to me “ kid you have a great raw talent. And this experience is good, but you are far too arrogant and grandiose to be a draftsman. Stop partying your life away and go major in the arts”.  My answer ? Nope I’m not going to be a “Starving Artist. I need money to get what I want”.  I spent the next few years all around the country, chasing money and settled back in Portland in my mid 20’s, got married, raised 3 children, and achieved all the financial success I had ever dreamed of. I never touched a pencil for 30 years.
    Things came apart at 45 and I destroyed my life and everything in it with drugs and alcohol. The next 3 yrs were spent in the gutters, bars, and crack rooms of Portland.
At 48 I stumbled into an anonymous meeting for people in recovery and heard a message of hope. I decided to give this a shot and asked a man 30 yrs sober to help me. Because of him, a lot of other sober people, and the Grace of God, I’ve not picked up a drug or drink for 4 yrs.
    3 yrs ago this man saw a drawing I did at 12 yrs old, and 3 others I drew at 15 ( my mother had saved them ). He “ordered” me to start drawing again. I did so with much resentment. My answer at 1 yr sober ? No I’m not interested in being a Starving Artist, I need to get back into the money. I would walk the streets of Portland often studying and drawing what I saw. All my drawings were done at Starbuck’s Downtown. The employees supported me allowing me my first little shows. Nothing was ever for sale, but they started buying anyway. After 6 months of small successes I received a huge break from friends Frank and Jeff the owners of Parker’s Restaurant. They saw my work, and made a decision to strip and paint all their walls and let me flood them with my work. I was given unbelievable freedom there.
    My brother Ron helped me start a print venture using his resources  to make a frame shop and make prints on his presses. The next year at Parker’s was a shocking success for me. I sold over 200 pieces of work, mostly originals and commissions. The new relationships that formed were so rewarding.
    By last fall I was exhausted, and had met the love of my life. So I took 9 months away from the pencil, got married, rented a large studio / frame shop, graphics room, built a website, and am looking for an affordable retail spot in the Art’s District. So I’ve penciled a dozen or so pieces in my return, and it’s a real joy to be back hopefully for good.
 

And guess what … I’m an Artist who’s a long way from Starving.