I wish I could say that I developed my interest in art to promote some valiant social cause or to follow the lead of the great masters. But that was not the case. I began to draw at 14 to impress girls. At the time I was an undersized boy with a head full of cowlicks.  I was obsessed with breeding Siamese Fighting Fish and finding discount lenses for my cheap, 50 mm telescope. I didn’t have the looks or pursuits that would attract girls. And I thought that portraits were the way to their hearts.  I spent hours trying to perfect the likeness of the subjects, but no matter how successful my efforts, those drawings didn’t get me far . . . a lot of girls got free portraits and I got stumps of charcoal.c

Married now, with two sons, I no longer draw to get girls. By some miracle, I got the girl. Now I produce art because of an overwhelming desire to do so. There is something about that moment when light and dark flow into each other on the page and a painting pops into the third dimension — it’s life giving and life altering.

But why portraits? I like people and personality and strength of character (and sometimes weakness of character). I try to capture all of this in my paintings. And I love to see my clients moved, sometimes to tears, by my representation of them or their loved ones.

I produce other work. The human figure is among my favorite subjects. Some say that the figure is fundamentally a design where capturing individuality is less important than achieving a traditional ideal of beauty. But I feel it is another form of portrait, with pose and energy telling us as great deal about a person’s character, which is more important than an abstract ideal. 

I have also done several narrative pieces where the interaction or lack of interaction between figures tells a story. Often the narrative is about being an outsider in a hostile, modern world. These narratives align with my short stories, which have been published or will soon be published in several literary magazines, namely Upstreet: A Literary Journal, Salt Hill Journal, and Raritan Journal (the official Rutgers University Quarterly Journal). The themes in my writing complement my paintings and vice versa.

Oh, and I should mention the practice of law. After receiving my JD from the University of Chicago in 2001, I spent 14 years working as an attorney. The law was good to me during that period. I enjoyed collaborating with colleagues, many of whom have remained my good friends. But it was never my passion. In 2015, I left the field for good.

Over the past six years, commissions for my artwork have grown in number and complexity. Please see the commissions tab to learn how to commission a drawing or painting. It’s a collaborative process and I work with clients to identify good reference photos and build a common vision for the final piece. I can provide client reviews on request.

In the final analysis, my life is now comprised of my family and my art, both of which propel me forward. This website intends to share much of what gives me a sense of purpose and belonging. I hope that my work succeeds in telling stories about character and community and the human experience.  Enjoy.