I've been painting for more than 30 years. It started when I returned to school, on the GI Bill, to study Art after my service in the United States Air Force. Not unlike any other painter, my interest in Art began at a very young age. I was encouraged to make Art by my mother, Grace, who was also a talented painter who, unfortunately, never pursued painting as an avocation. In all honesty, during those early years I struggled to make good grades in school and wasn't very good at sports. The one thing that I did receive praise for was my drawings. Over the years I worked at various jobs in order to earn enough money to support my family, but I always kept practicing my craft along the way.