Hibiscus and Birds of Paradise Print

I am primarily a self taught artist who works in the technology profession. I first began painting in 1981 and for the first 8 years, while I lived in Aylmer, Quebec, I basically developed my style(although, In 1983, I actually exhibited in my first public art exhibition, at the tender age of 15 and with, what I would now consider to be far too few years of experience as an artist at the time, looking back in hindsight). In 1989, I joined the Aylmer Arts Council and participated in public exhibitions (at which I had sold several works) with them until I purchased my house in Bells Corners, Nepean, in 1995. Also in 1991, I had met Gaston Therien, curator of the Ottawa Art Gallery in the Byward Market building and exhibited and sold my artwork there until 1997 when my son, David, was born and the Byward Market building temporarily closed for renovations. In early 1998 I joined the Artrise Gallery in Stittsville and exhibited there until the gallery closed down in mid 2000, shortly after my oldest daughter, Alyssa, was born. I was then becoming too busy with raising children and therefore, did not seek to join another gallery at that time, limiting sales to a few commissioned works. I simply had less time to paint. In October 2003, my twin daughters, Kaylie and Jenna, were born and I no longer had any time to paint; I took a hiatus from painting for the next 7 1/2 years. In 2011, with the children getting older, I was finding time to paint again and I joined the Ottawa West Artists’ Association where I am a member today. More recently, I have also become a member of Art Lending of Ottawa, the Richmond Village Art Club and the Kanata Civic Gallery. My media of choice are oil on canvas and acrylic on canvas although I sometimes paint in watercolours as well. I have also done some three dimensional art (wood carving and soapstone carving) in the past as well as some more utilitarian pieces, when , as a young man with more time on my hands I had built several functional stereo amplifiers which involved building the chassis, cutting and fashioning the aluminum front panels, etching the copper circuit boards, soldering and assembly. Today, I use my three dimensional artistic ability primarily in the restoration and repair of antique clocks, of which, I am a collector. Major influences in my work (painting) range from Salvador Dali to Robert Bateman and the fictional works of many fantasy writers including J.R.R.