At the age of 21, upon seeing nineteenth century French landscape paintings, I had an awakening to art. The beauty and sensitivity I saw in those works changed my perception of the world. I started studying art history, painted copies of French impressionist landscapes and enrolled in life drawing and painting classes at Chaffey Community College. In 1975, I decided to become a full-time painter. I was 24 years old. I moved from Ontario, California, where I was raised, to the northern part of the state. After a year I settled in Eureka, California. I was drawn there by the beauty and the art community. I met and worked with several very accomplished artists, painting landscapes every day on location, or painting in the studio always working directly from the still-life set up or models. I learned from direct observation of nature, by looking at and studying great art from the past and working alongside artists more developed than myself. In 1984, I met my wife and fellow artist, Terry. We live a wonderful quiet life in California. We have studios on our property and I continue to paint daily, following my passion for painting from life, trying to capture the light, atmosphere, space, and the mysterious beauty all around us. AWARDS 2023 The Almenara Art Prize. Cordoba, Spain. House on Hawks Hill - Purchase Award2023 16th Annual Art Renewal Center Salon. First Place - Begonias and Sunlight. Third Place - Fall Morning, Wildlife Refuge - both plein air category.2022 15th Annual ARC International Salon - Backlit Roses -Third Place. Honorable mention- Begonias and Sunlight, and The Artist Garden, both plein air2020-21 14th annual ARC International Salon. Honorable Mention Plein Air. Summer Apples and Roses, and Three Potted Begonias, both plein air 2020-21 Art Renewal Center Salon: 3rd place, Still Life & Plein Air categories, Honorable Mention, Plein Air category2019-20 Art Renewal Center Salon Competition, Honorable Mention Plein Air category2019 22nd Annual Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational: Jean Stern Distinctive Merit Legacy Award, Spirit of Laguna Award, The Irvine Museum Award2018 Artist Choice Award Maui Plein Air Invitational 2017 1st place in the Plein Air category of the Art Renewal Center International Salon Competition, two honorable mentions- Plein Air category and Honorable Mention in the Still Life category.2017 Best Composition, Best West Coast Artist, Best New Artist to Easton, Easton Plein Air Festival, Easton Maryland2016 Best in Show, Laguna Beach 18th Plein Air Invitational2016 Finalist, Art Renewal Center International Salon Competition2015 First Place, Plein Air Magazine Salon Competition $15,000 award. Cover story, Sept 2015 issue2015 Gold Medal for Best Painting, 104th Gold Medal Exhibition, California Art Club2015 Finalist, Art Renewal Center International Salon Competition2014 Best in Show, Laguna Beach 16th Plein Air Invitational2014 2nd Place, Plein Air Magazine Salon Competition2014 Franz Bischoff Award for Best Still Life, 103rd Gold Medal Exhibition, California Art Club2014 Southwest Art Magazine Award of Excellence, 103rd Gold Medal Exhibition, California Art Club2014 Finalist, Art Renewal Center International Salon Competition2013 3rd Place, Plein Air Magazine Salon Competition