About The Artist
I went to school at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh for Commercial Art and Advertising then relocated to Myrtle Beach, SC where I started selling my work at shows and galleries while also teaching art classes for children. I began focusing on pop art in acrylics and more serious work in oils.
From March of 2006' until 2008' I turned my blue dog 'Tbone' into 'Tbone & Friends' comic strip with activity sheets to match up with Christ United Methodist Church's curriculum.
In April 2007 until August 2009' I set up a store in Conway, SC (outside of Myrtle Beach) and renamed it the "The Painted Banana" which was an art boutique full of whimsical items. I taught children's art classes at the store, home schooled children through the 'H.E.A.R.T' program and autistic children through the Autism Advocate Foundation in Surfside. I participate in a few shows such as the Franklin Square Gallery Spring Art Show in Southport, House of Blues Folk Art Show in Myrtle Beach and Folkfest in Atlanta to name a few, but mostly I stick with selling online, wholesaling, and freelancing illustration and paintings.
In 2008' I had to expand my hand-painted glassware as demand increased. I began doing personalized bridal glasses pretty much full-time and that expanded to wholesaling my wine glasses in gift shops. I am in the process of coming up with new designs everyday for my signature collection. I paint wine, martini, margarita, drinking, pilsner, and shot glasses. I also paint on plates, salt & pepper shakers, soap dishes/dispensers, and mugs to name a few. Selling online has expanded my work to where I have collecting fans all across the U.S. As of to date, I have work in private and public collections throughout 45 states, Canada, the U.K, Australia,and Switzerland all thanks to the internet.
Presently, I'm also working on a wide variety of things to expand Tbone and my illustrations into children's media and whimsical art products (such as t-shirts, magnets, mugs, etc). I'm very determined to create books and media teaching kids biblical principals and just all around wholesome learning. I believe there's a lot of "t.v. junkfood" that children are fed on a daily basis that they don't need and I would like to create children's art to counter-act all that. I have a few projects I'm slowly working on which uses Tbone and Friends as teaching tools for children and a children's book teaching the ten commandments. I am a big fan of Richard Scarry books and it shows in my busy artwork. I am learning with time, that I believe my purpose is to create illustrated art for children. When I do participate at shows, children circle my tent and drag their parents in calling out all the silly animals. It seems to be my calling.
I do have my #1 fan (and she knows who she is) who collects Tbone art because her autistic son responds to the bright colors and I only assume he likes all the activity I try to put into a scene. THAT is what I truly want to do with my art. Make kids happy. It makes me happy. And its fun too.
