I am notorious for random stops at thrift stores for no other reason but to see what “randomness” I find on shelves.  On this particular day, I found a beaten down skateboard for around $5.  I haven’t been on a skateboard since age 12, so the plan wasn’t to ride, but I thought to myself, “how cool would the Biggie Smalls – Ready to Die album look on this deck?”.  With the exception of doodling in meetings, I had not done any serious art since closing my gallery 10-12 years ago, so I knew I might be biting off more than I could chew.  The funny thing is, because I was painting one of my favorite albums, I believe the process of painting the album was easier than I imagined.  By all means it was not a walk-in-the -park disassembling the trucks and wheels, removing the tattered grip tape, spending a good amount of time sanding away the old tape and paint, painting the image and applying new grip tape, but I viewed finishing in 7 days as an accomplishment. The real test would be my friends, who have always been my harshest critics.  So when I completed the deck, I sent them pictures to see what they thought.  The positive responses (and offers to buy it) are what prompted me to paint some more decks and ultimately showcase my work in exhibits, shows and on this website.

I have been painting for about 16 years.  I am labeled as self-taught, but I have learned a lot from many of my fellow artists.  I previously was a regular rotation artist in Phoenix’s First Friday Art walks and have shown at The Paper Heart Gallery, Mainstay Art Space, and The Paisley Violin.  I also was co-owner of the Demnolikus Art Space in Phoenix, AZ.  My most recent shows have included a month long two person showcase at 31Ten Lounge in Santa Monica, CA and the Pancakes and Booze Art Show in Los Angeles, CA.