Biography

Born in Baltimore, I spent most of my life in suburban neighborhoods in the northeast corner of a large city. At an early age, I discovered that I had some artistic inclinations. My mother was continually dismayed that my choices from the library and the Scholastic Book Club consisted mainly of volumes on how to make neat stuff from bottle caps and matchboxes. Among my favorite “real” books were Curious George and those by Louis J. Slobodkin…for the illustrations. And I borrowed Harold and the Purple Crayon from the library so frequently, my father finally bought me a copy.

As an art major in high school, I decided to pursue art as a career. I worked on the yearbook, where I learned basic layout concepts. I also won a contest to design a bookmark for the school library. Since then, I have endeavored to increase my knowledge and skills in the arts. However, finding long-term, full-time employment as an artist proved elusive. My very first full-time job out of college was as a graphic artist for my Alma Mater’s Student Activities office, creating posters, flyers and bulletin board displays for campus activities. One holiday season, I painted a design on a window in the cafeteria, from the inside (I learned a lot about layers, even with poster paint). Alas, the “Powers That Be” decided they could no longer support a civil servant who did nothing but artwork all day. It was lovely while it lasted.

Most of the jobs I’ve held since then have involved using some kind of computer communication system, from FidoNet to the World Wide Web. The WWW has, once again, given me hope that my computer and artistic skills can be combined to put food on the table and a roof over my head. Moving to a small town in South Dakota has allowed me to diversify my self-taught knowledge and has given me some unique perspectives on life. I’ve also had the opportunity to advance my formal education.