Born in Crowley, near Lafayette, I always knew that I was poles apart when it came to creating images. I was drawing Mickey Mouse by age two.  I took art classes in school simply because I enjoyed drawing.  Never did I think art could become more than just a hobby. For a while there, as my day job wouldn’t allow me time to hone my talents, I would only draw when we would go out to a restaurant. I would sketch a quick pencil or crayon drawing of a customer who was seated nearby.  When it was done, I would sign it and give it to them on my way out. Then, one day to my dismay, I couldn’t even do that anymore. It troubled me. It was then that I set aside an hour everyday to draw or paint. It wasn’t until then that I started to take it more seriously and actually start to produce significant pieces. I currently reside in Lafayette, Louisiana with my wife Michelle. Every portrait I paint provides me with the opportunity to create a work of art that exhibits both beauty and timelessness. It's exciting to consider the possibility that one day my painting may become a cherished heirloom, providing deep meaning for many generations to come. Many of the greatest masterpieces of Western Art have been commissioned portrait paintings. My inspiration is drawn from the art of the great masters, old and new, such as Rembrandt, John Singer Sargent, J. L. David, Arvid and Norman Rockwell. My challenge, as an artist, is to live up to the standard of excellence they've established. Michelangelo said the greater danger is not that our hopes are too high and we fail to reach them; it's that they're too low and we do. Painting is my passion. I started drawing when I was two years old and ever since producing images has been at the core of my existence. It's always thrilling to experience the moment a painting takes on a life of its own. One instant there is a juxtaposition of colored shapes on the canvas surface and boom, with the addition of a single stroke it's transformed into a lifelike entity. I feel I've been blessed with a special gift and it's incredibly satisfying to know that I can use my talent to bring joy into the lives of others. I feel like it is a God given talent. You can’t get escape that kind of force. I strive to meld the physical and spiritual characteristics of each person I paint into the most telling portrait possible. To me, conveying the essence of my sitter is most important.