History and the future.

 

I have evolved from a line of artistic ability. Both my father and his father worked

in the trade tracing back to the early nineteen hundreds. They both worked at commercial venues. My grandfather ran his own shop in Switzerland, but died when my father was only 3 years old. My father spent time in both London, England and then Toronto working at several studios at a young age, usually in apprentice positions. My father found career opportunities in other fields for

most of his working years, but returned to painting upon retirement.

 

After specializing in graphic design and advertising while at school I was able

to land positions over the course of 50 years in the world of commercial art.

The latter part of my career was spent in administrative capacities, heading up

art and creative departments, so I ended up spending more time off the drawing board than on. I ran my own business for several years assisting clients with their marketing needs. Then I freelanced until retirement age. Once retired, I turned

my attention to painting again and began a new journey in the world of fine art. 

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I have gained a new appreciation for the value that the creative process brings. 

I try to challenge myself with each piece I create. Each exercise is a different experience because I focus on the subject matter and then decide how I'm going

to approach it. So the method and palette chosen is always built around the

subject matter. Each piece may vary in appearance to provide a different

experience that is specific for that subject matter. This allows me to revisit the subject matter later with a different interpretation.

 

I only paint what I like and I'm not focused on the sale of work. I am fortunate that I can operate freely and gain pleasure from sharing my work with anyone

that shows an interest. I have had some success at shows recently, but also enjoy

sharing work with friends, colleagues and charitable groups when the opportunity arises. I belong to several art organizations and enjoy the opportunity to both

paint and discuss ideas with my colleagues.

 

I believe that art painted in a representational manner will return to its' place of importance and value in society. Representational art comments on the world around the artist and is influenced by what is happening in their world, particularly their region. Real art speaks the truth and tells a story for those interested.  

Free expression is the foundation of our freedom and contributes to changes in our culture for a better society.

 

Why an illustrator?  I suppose for me illustrator is more appropriate for the

work I produce. Working with different materials and methods goes beyond just painting. I consider painting just drawing with a brush. Because all of my work is representative of the subject, I consider it illustration rather than painting.

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(REGIONAL ILLUSTRATED ART)