Into the Desert He went to Pray Painting

I am a 65 year old white man who lives in place known for its apples and wine: Yakima, WA. My kids have all been raised here and consider Washington their home. I was born and raised in Western New York and South Eastern Ontario on the shores of Lake Erie. The water was my life. I began painting on a dare when friends of mine (taking a painting class at Buffalo State College) were painting draped cloth. I mockingly told them I could do that. A moment later my friend put paper, paint and brush in my hand and said, "Prove it.". I found that I not only could do it, but I really liked it. I knew no artists at that time who could make a living at it so I studied design in my under graduate work and have worked in the world of construction for various Architectural firms most of my adult life (for the past 17 years, KDF Architecture). I studied painting, drawing, design, paper making at Phillips University in the late 70s and Buffalo State in the early 80's. I focused mostly on the practical skills associate with Architectural presentation - drawing, markers and water color. While in the Air Force through the late 70s I began painting in oils and developed a comfort with the pallet knife. But all this gave way to the practical needs of raising a family and making a living until my kids all began to move out into the world on their own. I had picked up photography by then and through that medium became reacquainted with the world of paint once again. Encaustic painting drew me in and for the first time I began to experiment with acrylics. Today those two mediums together with drawing and photography keep my right brain very active.