[tatsu_section bg_color= “” bg_image= “” bg_repeat= “no-repeat” bg_attachment= “scroll” bg_position= “top left” bg_size= “cover” bg_animation= “none” padding= “90px 0px 90px 0px” margin= “0px 0px 0px 0px” border= “0px 0px 0px 0px” border_color= “” bg_video= “0” bg_video_mp4_src= “” bg_video_ogg_src= “” bg_video_webm_src= “” bg_overlay= “0” overlay_color= “” full_screen= “0” section_id= “” section_class= “” section_title= “About the Artist” offset_section= “” offset_value= “0px” full_screen_header_scheme= “background–dark” hide_in= “0”][tatsu_row full_width= “0” no_margin_bottom= “0” equal_height_columns= “0” gutter= “medium” column_spacing= “px” row_id= “” row_class= “” hide_in= “0” layout= “1/1”][tatsu_column bg_color= “” bg_image= “” bg_repeat= “no-repeat” bg_attachment= “scroll” bg_position= “top left” bg_size= “cover” padding= “0px 0px 0px 0px” custom_margin= “0” margin= “0px 0px 0px 0px” bg_video= “0” bg_video_mp4_src= “” bg_video_ogg_src= “” bg_video_webm_src= “” bg_overlay= “0” overlay_color= “” animate_overlay= “none” link_overlay= “” vertical_align= “none” column_parallax= “0” animate= “0” animation_type= “fadeIn” animation_delay= “0” col_id= “” column_class= “” hide_in= “0” layout= “1/1”][tatsu_text max_width= “100” wrap_alignment= “center” animate= “” animation_type= “fadeIn” animation_delay= “0”]

I began my journey into digital photography in 2005 when I enrolled in my first photography class and while I found I needed to learn how to use the gear, what I discovered is that I absolutely love the post processing I could accomplish using my computer. No surprise really, since my background is in technology training. I am now focusing on using my teaching/training skills to share what I have learned (and continue to learn) about digital photography.

I find that I am drawn to fine art and nature more than people and portraiture–at least for the time being. I photograph as a means of sharing the visual beauty that I see all around me. Too often, we spend our days toiling away at some drudgery or other with our eyes on some material target. With photography I hope to raise awareness of the beauty that is intrinsic to everyday places and spaces.

Conservation is also an important concern.  I believe and appreciation for nature can be developed through nature photography. That appreciation can grow to include an awareness of our environment and the need for careful management and protection.

I have my doctorate in education and technology with 20+ years conducting professional development, teaching online as well as face-to-face. Currently, I lead photo tours at photography ranches, teach Lightroom and photography courses online,  speak at conferences and enjoy my encore career every chance I get.

Trivia about me:

I was born in Galveston, TX, USA. That makes me a native Texan and B.O.I. (Born On the Island), which is an important distinction on the Island. I didn’t make this up–you can look in the Urban Dictionary.

I currently reside in College Station, TX, USA. Loving every minute WHOOP!

Artist’s Statement

I have been drawn to the environment and spirit of the natural world for as long as I can remember. As a child growing up on Galveston Island, I spent many hours on beaches, in pastures, and beside bayous to experience, learn, and explore. That was the beginning of my journey to “see” nature. Today, more than half-century later, as a freelance, outdoor, nature, and fine art photographer, I am still on that quest to experience and understand the natural world.

If pressed, I categorize my art as interpretive nature imagery since a majority of my subjects include wildlife, plants, insects and outdoor scenes. Occasionally however; my inherent connection with old and decaying objects as artifacts of the lifestyles of prior generations is evident in my images. My images range from macro, close-up, and abstracts to intimate, rural and grand landscapes.

Like Tolstoy, I believe the purpose of art is to convey feeling or emotion. Through my art, I express my feelings for the locations I visit and the wonders of nature that I encounter along the way. Rather than simply documenting a scene, my fine art works serve to communicate my memories and feelings about the subject or scene and to evoke an emotional response from the viewer.

My camera is one of the primary tools I use to achieve my artistic goals. Further, my experience and education in computers and technology allows me to take full advantage of the digital darkroom. I find digital photography to be exciting and almost limitless; allowing me to overcome many of the technical challenges that previously presented barriers to ways of communicating emotion to viewers by photographers in the past. Technology enables my creative side to draw from my technical side to express my experiences in nature more deeply than ever before. The digital age is truly an exciting time to be a photographic artist!

I create many of my fine art images by painstakingly layering multiple images, adding digital brush strokes, and may even include additional scenic elements. Each image can take 80 hours or more to create, however I often lose track of time and space when I am in the throes of the creative process. The result is a unique work of art, evoking the mood of an old master’s painting or the vibrancy of contemporary art.

Photographic Awards and Recognition

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  • First Place, Professional Photography, Brazos Valley Art League 2017 Judged Member Show “Do You See What Eye See?”
  • Second Place, Professional Photography, Brazos Valley Art League 2017 Judged Member Show “Iridescent Sunrise”
  • Texas Artist Wine Label Competition – Finalist; Messina Hof Winery, 2015
  • Annual Showcase Top 250; North American Nature Photography Association, 2015
  • Annual Showcase Semifinalist (2 entries); North American Nature Photography Association, 2015
  • First Place, Black & White; DeWitt County Shutterbugs Photo Contest, 2014
  • First Place Week 3, Featherfest Photo Contest; Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council & The Daily News, 2014
  • Third Place; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and Wildflower Magazine Photo Contest: Public Voting, 2013
  • Third Place;Ranch and Rural Living Magazine’s 2011 Photo Contest, People Category, Sep 2011

[/toggle][toggle title= “Exhibitions” title_color= “” title_bg_color= “”]

  • Downtown Uncorked, Community Gallery at Large, Exploring Creativity: At Water’s Edge; March 17-May 15, 2017
  • Brazos Valley Art League Judged Member Show (2 award winning entries); Feb 2017
  • Tales of Summer, Brazos Valley Art League Member Show; Sep 2016
  • Brazos Valley Nature Photography Group sponsored by the Arts Council of Brazos Valley, Community Gallery at Large at City Hall, College Station TX; Sep 2014
  • Brazos Valley PPA at Gallery 979, Bryan TX; Mar 2014
  • DeWitt County Shutterbugs Annual Exhibition (1st place B&W); April 2014

[/toggle][toggle title= “Invitations from Juried Events” title_color= “” title_bg_color= “”]

  • Messina Hof Winery Wine and Roses Festival, 2017
  • Downtown Street & Arts Festival, Bryan, TX; 2017
  • Brazos Valley Art League Judged Member Show; Feb 2017
  • Brazosport Centerfest 2017, Clute TX; 2017
  • Texas Master Naturalist Annual Convention, 2016
  • Texas Reds Steak and Grape Festival, Bryan TX, 2016
  • Messina Hof Winery Wine and Roses Festival, 2016
  • Downtown Street & Art Festival, Bryan TX, 2015
  • Messina Hof Winery Wine and Roses Festival; 2015
  • Texas Reds Steak and Grape Festival, Bryan TX; 2015
  • Bayou City Arts Festival, Houston TX; 2015

[/toggle][toggle title= “Degrees & Certifications” title_color= “” title_bg_color= “”]

  • Adobe Education Trainer<iframe frameborder=”0″ scrolling=”no” src=”https://credly.com/sharedembed/13859910″ width=”180″ height=”230″></iframe>
  • ITIL Expert
  • MOR Practitioner (Management of Risk)
  • Quality Matters Master Reviewer
  • BSBA, M. Ed., Ed. D.

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