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About me

Introduction	I received my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in illustration from Brigham Young University in 1995. During that time I was greatly influenced by an unknown, yet exceptional artist, Ralph Barksdale. Ralph taught me the importance of drawing and working from life. Following graduation I was invited to study and mentor with William Whitaker, a nationally respected figurative artist. I worked with Bill for two years, until 1997 after which I attended workshops with nationally known artists Richard Schmid, David Leffel and Robert Johnson. In 2000, I began a Master of Fine Arts degree in painting through a residence program in Italy with the American University of Washington D.C. I spent 2 years studying the Italian landscape, seeking to capture the spirit and character of Italy in my paintings. In 2003 I began teaching at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California where I currently teach figure painting, figure drawing and landscape painting. In addition to teaching at the Academy, I direct their summer abroad program in Italy. My work can currently be seen at the Garden Gallery in Half Moon Bay, California and the Shelby House in Menlo Park, California.

Introduction

I received my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in illustration from Brigham Young University in 1995. During that time I was greatly influenced by an unknown, yet exceptional artist, Ralph Barksdale. Ralph taught me the importance of drawing and working from life. Following graduation I was invited to study and mentor with William Whitaker, a nationally respected figurative artist. I worked with Bill for two years, until 1997 after which I attended workshops with nationally known artists Richard Schmid, David Leffel and Robert Johnson. In 2000, I began a Master of Fine Arts degree in painting through a residence program in Italy with the American University of Washington D.C. I spent 2 years studying the Italian landscape, seeking to capture the spirit and character of Italy in my paintings. In 2003 I began teaching at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California where I currently teach figure painting, figure drawing and landscape painting. In addition to teaching at the Academy, I direct their summer abroad program in Italy. My work can currently be seen at the Garden Gallery in Half Moon Bay, California and the Shelby House in Menlo Park, California.