Growing up in Central Pennsylvania, son to a successful sign painter, Brad must have inherited the creative gene. His grandfather was a stonemason whose decorative stone carvings can be found on the facades of New York City brownstones and public buildings in Washington, DC and an ancestor was recorded as an artist in Civil War muster roles. He can remember many days spent as a child at his father’s sign shop watching the exacting method of hand lettering his father was known for; eventually learning firsthand the sign painter’s craft. Those hours also instilled in him at a young age the business sense needed by a creative person to become successful at what they loved doing. He showed signs of creative talent during his childhood as he spent hours filling sketchbooks with drawings from everyday observations of his personal environment to fantasy scenes from his imagination. Brad combines his passion for making art with his concerns for our environment by incorporating a Japanese Zen philosophy known as Wabi-Sabi. His award-winning work is exhibited in both solo and juried group exhibitions garnering acclaim from environmentalists and art lovers alike. Brad’s unique paintings are included in private and corporate collections both nationally and abroad. During his 34 years spent as an art educator he received several honors through “Who’s Who of American Teachers” and the 1990 national ‘Art Teacher as Artist’ award from the Marie Walsh Sharpe Art Foundation, Colorado Springs, Colorado. It was through this award that he participated in a residency program at Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO. While teaching, his own art took many turns in its development, from detailed wildlife drawings in scratchboard, graphite, and colored pencil (even working for a graphics poster company out of Woodstock, VT) to oil landscapes of the area to finally Zen inspired nature paintings in acrylics which he is most known for today. It was his continued concern for our environment and a visit to the natural beauty of Sedona, AZ and the Grand Canyon that guided him into this unique style of painting. Brad recently moved from New Mexico to North Carolina where he maintains his painting studio in his home. He continues to support environmental causes and often supports local groups with donations from gallery show proceeds.Awards and Honors:Recipient of the Lower Dauphin Distinguished Alumni Honoree Award for 20122011 First Place in Two Dimensional Art – Southern Appalachian Artist Guild National Juried Show, Blue Ridge, GAJuried the 2007 Art Alliance of Central PA abstraction showHonorable Mention in Acrylics, Hilton Head National Juried Art ExhibitionLocal Artist of the Year, Sierra Club, Blue Mountain Chapter, Harrisburg, PAColored Pencil Society of America Signature Member StatusColored Pencil Society of America Five-Year Merit AwardStrathmore Paper Company Award of ExcellencePrismacolor Award for Outstanding RecognitionMarie Walsh Sharpe Art Foundation Teacher As Artist AwardWho’s Who Among America’s Teachers Award ’05, ’99, ’98, ’96