Me
As the third of four boys in a military family, I spent my childhood moving between different regions of the United States and Europe. This nomadic upbringing shaped my perspective as an artist and educator.
Education
- BFA – Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
- MFA – University of Pennsylvania
Professional Experience
Teaching:
- Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania, Bloomsburg: Associate Professor of Printmaking and 2-D Foundations (current)
- Interlochen Center for the Arts: Director of Visual Arts (2000–2006)
- University of Pennsylvania: Printmaking Instructor (1994–1999)
Studio Practice:
- Studio Paper+ – My printmaking studio located in the Pajama Factory, Williamsport, PA
- The Roost – My drawing and painting studio on my family's horse farm in Montoursville, PA
I balance my academic career with an active studio practice, working across printmaking, drawing, and painting in two dedicated creative spaces.
Artist Statement
Melancholy Meanderings
In 2024, I experienced two transformative moments that profoundly impacted my journey as an image maker. The first occurred when I was invited to visit my mentor Hitoshi Nakazato's New York studio. There, I had the opportunity go through his voluminous flat files of prints and discuss his approach to printmaking with his son, wife, and a curator from Osaka. Even though Hitoshi passed away over a decade ago, his presence felt palpable, and I found myself learning from him all over again. His prints, large and commanding, left an indelible mark on me, particularly one collagraph that struck me deeply and revealed how far I had strayed from his teachings.
The second moment of revelation came from Juliette Aristides' Lessons in Classical Painting. On page 19, I encountered a small image of a woodcut by Yoshida Hiroshi, which led me to research his work and eventually order The Complete Woodblock Prints of Yoshida Hiroshi. I was astounded by his masterful gradations and the transparency of color in his atmospheric landscape prints—qualities I had only begun to explore.
Pennsylvania can be graced with picture-perfect days, but I find myself increasingly drawn to the beauty in its gloomier moments. The aesthetic of the rust-belt brain drain in the small coal towns resonates with melancholy. Words often escape me when trying to explain this essence, so I make marks to express what I see and use colors to show how I feel. Though my works may not possess the power of Hitoshi's prints or the atmospheric subtlety of Hiroshi's woodcuts, my prints serve as quiet reflections on the region I call home.