My artwork is an opportunity to share my vision of the world with the viewer.  I am fascinated with nature, both flora and fauna.  Many times the impression is expressed in a realistic rendering of an animal, flower or scene; at other times, it is an abstract work.  The medium for most of my paintings is acrylic on canvas or board.  When I want to work in three dimensions, I am drawn to exotic woods where I work them into originally designed keepsake or jewelry boxes.  For me, there is a magic in each piece of wood I hold in my hand.  At this point in my life, I am driven more to express each new exciting object as I find them, rather than exploiting a single style or direction. I grew up in southern Missouri on a dairy and chicken farm.  As long as I can remember, I have spent much of my free time drawing or painting.  Perhaps growing up on a farm and being surrounded by nature made an early and lasting impression on me.   My adult career began as an artist for Hallmark Cards.  During my 41 year career at Hallmark, I held various positions until I retired in 2010.  For many years, my artwork took a backseat to raising a family.  In my retirement, I have been able to devote full-time to creating art.  Early in my art career I did a lot of commission portrait work and some landscapes.  For the last few years, my wife and I have had the opportunity to travel widely which has allowed me to see many of my subjects personally.  I like to take photographs as references for many of the paintings.  With so many beautiful places and fascinating animals, I suspect I will never have enough time to paint them all.