Biography
Born may 2 1975 in New Westminster, B.C., Canada. I grew up in the classic suburban lifestyle in Surrey B.C.. I have playful memories of riding bikes and skateboarding up and down the quiet streets and playing with Lego, Gi joes and he-man figures. My imagination is well rooted in these childlike acts. An obvious parallel can be made with love for architectural designs and Lego.
Throughout school and especially in high school being the classic loner and outsider my art was my focus. Drawing was my distraction from what I felt to be a pointless institution. I would sit in front of my locker and draw. During my teen years fantasy, science fiction and surrealist painters inspired me. Artists like Boris Vallejo, Chris Achellios, Salvador Dali, Jim burns, HR Giger, Michael Whelan and many others showed me how to make the impossible look real with a brush. Â So In High school I attempted to recreate these artists work, In high school I was known as the guy who drew naked women and demon drawings.
Once I left high school the true challenge began. How to be an artist and fake being an adult with responsibities. My parents have always been supporters of my artistic tendencies. They always gave me the freedom and bought supplies to do my art. So I took a year off to make art before going to Kwantlen College in Surrey, B.C. During my early twenties I painted many styles fantasy, surrealism, abstract, impressionism, still life and airbrushing trying to emulate unsuccessfully one of my idols HR Giger.
Thanks to my parents I enrolled in the Fine Arts program at Kwantlen College. I was enrolled for two years and I experimented with painting, drawing, sculpture, photography and studied art history. While at kwantlen I had fun with a old school video tape editing system and found a love for video and film making. Once computers could edit video I bought a Mac computer and began my video adventures. For the next 7 years I would work towards a film career and would only paint and draw once a in a while.
After my film adventure with instructional, music and film videos I realized it was not for me. Apon reflection I return back to my artistic roots and start painting again full time. Once I had finished painting the now landmark piece called ‘Mass Machine’ I had a revelation. I found inspiration in the concept of multi purpose architecture. The painting resembled a simple gate, but also was used as a workout machine by multiple users, transporter, shrine and shelter. Another element was the temporary bracing allowing the possibility for reconfiguration. The concept of architecture being redesigned and recycled gave away to infinite possibilities and to this day I have never been without an idea to paint. The creativity damn had blown and my purpose was clear.
For the next few years I was painting my new series and I envisioned these large
muscular morphous figures recycling the fallen experiments from the extinct human race. This intention inspired powerful architecture and even though the mammoth characters were beautiful I disbanded the use of figures. The absence of the figures allowed the concept a mystery and timeless feel to the paintings. Once I eliminated the figures over the years my concepts became more delicate and gentile but more complex in construction.
These new designs were based on minimalists approach like shelters, tents, tipi, huts, gliders etc. The intent is to communicate the most ideas or emotion with the least of materials. The minimalist designs allow the environments in my paintings to breath. A Harmony was created with the designs and the environment.
Stones that fly, clouds that carry and sticks that glide. These are some of the images that excite me and have driven my painting passion for the past twenty years. I love making the impossible possible with just paint and brushes. Giving life to an empty space gives myself purpose and love for life.
Ever since I was in my teens I have been showing in galleries, art festivals, parks and the streets of Vancouver, any artist has to pay their dues. I have had the support from collectors from around the world.
