Towboat Cindy L. Erickson on the Ohio River Painting

Tim studied mechanical and technical art during his undergrad years. Eventually becoming a ship’s officer, he combined his technical art interests with his experiences at sea. He now works in his studio on dry land. He paints in oils, acrylics, and water, but prefers acrylics. Although drawn to maritime subjects, he also uses his free time to develop artwork to help raise money for animal shelters. In terms of aspirations, he hopes to someday learn more about digital art. Much of the technical skills he learned in his university days forty years ago have changed, from a time when tools of the trade were drafting tables, T-squares, and triangles. Computers were not in widespread use at the time. Tim remembers how computer assisted design (CAD) and other graphics programs were still emerging as new technologies during his college years. The hottest thing used by technical drawing students at the time was mechanical pencils and a floating arm fluorescent lamp. Looking back, he sometimes wishes that the digital tools we take for granted today were around when he was in school.