For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated with both the animal world and the creative process. Those fascinations have manifest themselves as a love for the biological and natural sciences and art in its myriad forms. The first had led me to pursue a degree in biology and the second has led me to express my love for life in all its forms through the visual arts. They have fused to create a style that is both emotive and exacting. It has been remarked that I approach my work with the patience of a scientist. My genre of choice is wildlife and as my subjects I have generally chosen species with conservation concerns; those on the precipice of extinction. Through my work, I hope to raise the consciousness of the viewer to respect these creatures as they are. Our animal neighbors are individuals in their own right, their struggle to survive, protect their homes, and care for their young is a journey shared by us all.
My medium of choice is scratchboard which I find uniquely challenging and satisfying. It lends itself well to use of chiaroscuro and dramatic light effects, resulting in works that are visually striking. Scratchboard as a fine art is a relatively new medium, but the concept is ancient. In some way, etching into a surface to create an image has existed since humans first created petroglyphs. An original scratchboard is a direct engraving using a clay board coated with black (and sometimes other colors) india ink. Using blades and various other tools, the artist carefully removes the layer of ink to reveal the white clay beneath. It is a very exacting and precise art form which requires patience as mistakes are not as easily corrected as with other mediums. It is ideal for wildlife images and the rendering of fine detail; no paintbrush can produce a line as fine as a razor blade.
I am a master scratchboard artist as accredited by the International Society of Scratchboard Artists (ISSA) and an Associate Member of the Society of Animal Artists.
I am currently represented by Decoys and Wildlife Gallery, Frenchtown, NJ. http://www.decoyswildlife.com/
2021
David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation Artist of the Year, Highly Commended
Animal Impressions with the Society of Animals Artists, Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum
2020
9th Annual International Soricety of Scratchboard Artists Show – Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum, Tuscon, AZ, Award of Excellence
Society of Animal Artists Members Exhibition
2019
Richeson75 International, Birds, Animals, and Wildlife – Best in Show
40th Annual Berks Art Alliance Show – Reading, PA
59th Annual “Art and the Animal Show” – San Antonio, TX, awarded the Marilyn Newmark Memorial Award for Realistic 2D
8th Annual International Society of Scratchboard Artists Show – Berea, KY, Award of Excellence
13th Annual Audubon “Drawn From Nature Show” – Audubon, PA
2018
39th Annual Berks Art Alliance Juried Show
Finalist in the Animal/Wildlife Category of the Artist’s Magazine 35th Annual Art Competition
7th Annual International Society of Scratchboard Artists Show
Juried into the Society of Animal Artists
Audubon 12th Annual “Drawn From Nature” Show
Editorial Feature in American Art Collector, Aug/Sep 2018 Issue
International Artist “Favorite Subjects” – A Crown Upon His Head – Awarded Third Place, Featured in April/May Issue
Berks Art Alliance Annual Membership Show – Harmony – Awarded First Place
2017
38th Annual Berks Art Alliance Show
2016
37th Annual Berks Art Alliance Show – Mountain Climber – Awarded Third Place
2014
Finalist in the Artist Magazine Annual Competition for Wisdom of the Ages
2011
34th Annual Berks Art Alliance Show – Oblivion – Awarded Honorable Mention
2011 Birdsboro Fine Arts Exhibition
2011 Atonement Lutheran’s Celebration of the Arts
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