I was very fortunate to grow up in a home where my parents loved me and my Mom began to introduce me to art at an early age. She was an excellent painter and calligrapher, so she taught me how to draw and use pastels as a kid. While working on a B.A. in Art from Transylvania University, I devoured my studies in studio art and art history. I loved learning the basics of design, composition and color theory. During my junior year, I was introduced to a new friend who attended another college nearby and he got me interested in photography. I actually made a trade with him – my gun for his camera! The transition from studio art to photography came easy for me, even though I never had a formal course in photography. My mom bought me a book by Ansel Adams called, “The Making of 40 Photographs” and the rest is history.
When I started in photography, I knew immediately that I wanted to pursue landscapes, especially since I grew up in Corinth (population 250), one of the many small, rural towns that grace Kentucky. However, I soon learned that to survive economically, other ways of exploring photography would be necessary, so I started my business as an advertising and commercial photographer in 1988. After years of success running that type of business, I began investing in pursuing stock photography. Using the experience of shooting for publications helped me leap into self-publishing coffee table type books of my work.
To date, I have self-published six successful and highly acclaimed books – Kentucky Wide, Kentucky Wide II, Kentucky: Beauty of the Bluegrass, Kentucky: Seasons of the Bluegrass, My Father’s World and Streams in the Desert.
I became known as a pioneer in the world of digital photography, beginning that journey in 1995 and I love the challenge of technology, utilizing it to help transfer what I see and feel onto the final print. To this day, I still enjoy the creative challenge of how to use space within my viewfinder, whether it is square, rectangle or panoramic in format.
Over the years, my work has appeared in regional, national and international markets, both in print and in exhibit and as works of art enjoyed by countless individuals, hospital visitors and companies large and small. My abiding faith and love for the Creator is the motivation for my work. While creating many of the scenes seen on this site, they represent breath prayers and asking the Lord to show me what He sees and what to capture so that He may be glorified and that others might be encouraged by experiencing beauty through my vision. Nothing satisfies me more than having my work in healing environments, filling spaces with peace, hope and comfort in spite of present circumstances. It is my hope that as you view my work, you too may experience feelings of awe, beauty and wonder.
My art business has been designated as a "Trusted Art Seller" with The Art Storefronts Organization, which means you can shop with confidence, and know that I stand behind the quality and value of my products.