Growing up on a farm near McBain, Michigan, I learned various ways to view the many objects in my world. I could see them clearly, from the subtle colors of the stone in my hand to the patterns of distant fields, lakes, and streams. I often tried to imagine what it would look like from that plane above me.
I had no art training until I went to Kendall School of Design, where my focus was on advertising graphics. My second year at Kendall was marked by losing my grandfather, my father, my first wife, and her stepmother. This contributed to a very dark period which was reflected in my paintings.
After graduating from Kendall, I became disappointed with my commercial art job in Kalamazoo. I decided to enroll at Western Michigan University for a degree in art education. After teaching art at Kalamazoo Christian High for nine years, I felt called to go to Nigeria to teach art at Vandeikya Government Teachers College.
When I returned, I started a freelance business doing architectural illustrations and paintings. My travels by plane influenced my desire to experiment with aerial landscapes using fresh and unusual colors to express my emotional and spiritual thoughts and feelings.
All the experiences that shaped my life also go into every painting I do. Because I spent twenty years in commercial illustration, I am conscious of how design and color can be used to help tell my story.
When using acrylics, I usually paint the canvas or watercolor paper with a base color to set the mood. From there, I structure my paintings with layers of color to meet my desired purpose. When I’m using transparent watercolors, I use a different approach. I start by using a wet-on-wet technique, except for those areas I want to leave white. Then I paint in more detail using appropriate colors to finish the composition.
From Above
Education
Kendall School of Art & Design, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Mich.
Published
The Artist’s Magazine, Nov 1995, “Spark up a Landscape with Gouache” with S. Elliot
The International Artist Magazine, Oct/Nov 2001 issue
Encyclopedia of Living Artists, 10th and 14th Anniversary issues
International Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Contemporary Art1999/2000
International Artist Magazine, “Challenge 19 Landscapes”, Feb/Mar 2004.
Finalist. Included in the book How Did You Paint That by Elladrent Pty, Ltd in the state of South Wales, Australia, 2004
New Art International, accepted by BAP (Book Art Press), to be included in editions 2004-05 and 2006-07.
Painting included in the books Splash 8, Splash 10, Splash 12, and Splash 15.
Encore Magazine, Sept, 2004, article: “Art Makes the Man” by Penny Briscoe.
The Artist’s Magazine, January, 2005, article: “Flying High” by Sy Ellens.
Best of Artists & Artisans of Michigan, 2006 by Kennedy Promotions, LLC.
Best of America in Watermedia, 2010 by Kennedy Promotions, LLC.
Strokes of Genius: The Best of Drawing, 2007, by North Light Books.
Watercolor Magazine, Winter 2008, “New Perspective” by Lynne Moss Perricelli
Acrylic Artist Magazine, Fall 2011, Cover and article, "Natural Wonders" by A. Havener
Art Journey America Landscapes 89 Painters' Perspectives by Kathryn Kipp, North Light Books, 2012
Acrylic Works, edited by Nancy Reyner, 2014, North Light Book
One-man Shows
Hillcrest School, Jos, Nigeria, W. Africa
Carnegie Art Center, Three Rivers, MI (Nov/91)
Lake Worth Art League, Lake Worth, FL (Dec/91)
Kingscott Gallery, Kalamazoo, MI (Nov/93) Curated by the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo. Again in (Jan/01)
Inner Images Gallery, Kalamazoo, MI (Sept-Oct/94)
West Michigan Cancer Center, Kalamazoo, MI (Feb-May/98) Curated by the
Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo
Dordt College, Sioux Center, IA (Aug-Oct/98)
Arts Council of Kalamazoo Gallery at the EPIC Center, Kalamazoo, MI (Feb/03)
Air Zoo of Kalamazoo, MI (July-Sept/06)
Arts Council of Grand Rapids Gallery (Oct-Nov/09
Box Factory in St. Joseph, MI (Jan-Feb/2011)
Central Michigan University Park Library, Mt Pleasant, MI (Aug 21-Oct 12/12)
Olivet College, Kresge Foundation Art Gallery, Olivet, MI (Nov 8-Dec 11/12)
Special Invitation Group Shows
Newington-Cropsey Foundation, Hastings-on-the-Hudson, NY
Two-person show at Spring Arbor University, Ganton Gallery. (Sept-Oct/09)
Two-person show at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI. (April 26-June 29/12)
Art in Embassies Program
Two paintings for an exhibition in the U. S. ambassadorial residence in Yerevan, Armenia, at the request of Ambassador Ordway.
Two paintings for an exhibition in the U.S. ambassadorial residences in Pretoria, South Africa, at the request of Ambassador Cameron Hume.
Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts
Two paintings for an exhibition in Michigan governor’s residence, July 2006-July 2007
Judge of Shows
Flowerfest Fine Arts competition in Kalamazoo, MI
Berrien Artist Guild, 10th Annual Art Competition, Box Factory, St Joseph, MI. June 15 - July 29/12.
Signature Member
American Watercolor Society
National Society of Artists
National Watercolor Society
Western Colorado Watercolor Society - Master
Philadelphia Watercolor Society
Louisiana Watercolor Society - Master
Pennsylvania Watercolor Society
National Oil and Acrylic Painters Societ y
Missouri Watercolor Society
Texas Watercolor Society - PS
Northwest Watercolor Society
Fellow Member
The American Artist Professional League
Member
National Society of Painters in Casein and Acrylic
Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo
South Haven Center for the Arts
Kalamazoo Institute of Art
Muskegon Museum of Art
Awards
High Winds Medal Award, American Watercolor Society, Salmagundi Club, NY
Crest Medal Award, Philadelphia Watercolor Society.
John J. Newman Medal, National Society of Painters in Casein and Acrylic
National Watercolor Society Award, Texas Watercolor Society
Best of the Show Award, National Society of Artists in Texas.
Best of the Show Award, Lake Worth Art League in Florida.
Honorable Mention Award, The Artist's Magazine.
5th Place Award, 2000 and 2006, North Light Book Club
First Place and Second Place, Northwest Watercolor Society
3rd Place & Finalist, The Artist’s Magazine
1st Place for Acrylic Painting in the Online Show, The Artist's Magazine
Grant received from Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo and Pharmacia & Upjohn Foundation Community Arts Grant Program,
Over 170 awards in regional, national, and international competitions.
Collections
Private collections in many U.S. states, Canada, Nigeria, Netherlands, Germany, England, Switzerland, Italy, India, Poland, China, Hungary, Hong Kong, Japan, and Spain,
Kalamazoo Institute of Art
Western Michigan University
Pfizer Corporation
Mall City Containers, Kalamazoo, Mich.
Green Bay Packaging Inc. Kalamazoo, Mich.
DeVos Place Convention Center in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Warner, Norcross, & Judd in Muskegon, Mich.
Olivet College in Olivet, Mich.
Northwest Watercolor Society in Seattle, Wash.
Murals:
A 2200 square-foot “Fantasy of Flight” mural in the Children’s Room and a 62,500 square-foot floor mural in the new Air Zoo in Kalamazoo, Mich, July 2004.
Represented by
Synchronicity Gallery, Glen Arbor, MI