About the artist

Early Explorations

Growing up in New Philadelphia, Ohio, I was always drawn to the edges: sketching graphic‑design‑inspired doodles and illustrations in notebook margins while lessons slipped away. My real interests unfolded in the flicker of suspenseful cinema and the imaginative realms of H.P. Lovecraft, Clive Barker, Stephen King, and John Carpenter. Those stories sparked a fascination with atmosphere, memory, and the spaces where reality blurs. This fascination would only deepen after moving to California at the age of 15.

That First Moment

In early 2003, soon after relocating to Phoenix, I began working at a One Hour Photo lab located within a Target department store where I had a fateful encounter with a customer who brought in a roll Kodak Gold 100 24 exposure film to be processed for her son. When I saw the prints, it was a mind-blowing revelation, a collection of abstract art made from everyday objects. I never thought of using photography like that! And that moment started my journey into photography. Soon after I was working for a photography studio company shooting on location family portraits.

The Allure of Landscape

By 2005, I’d traded portrait assignments for Arizona’s vast horizons. Armed with a 4×5 Tachihara large‑format camera and only room for twelve sheets of black‑and‑white film to take with me on location, I learned to see the world as patterns of light, shadow, and texture—occasionally allowing abstract, conceptual ideas to surface.

Digital Evolution

In 2008, digital technology reached a tipping point. Offering virtually unlimited photos which allowed me to explore more, capturing everything from sweeping panoramas to intimate botanical details with workable noise control. And color management systems that give creative license to explore so much in the realm of digital editing. Not to mention archival print capabilities that ensure my vision lasts for a century.

Fine Art & Education

2009 marked my first solo exhibition, Natural Adaptations, at Phoenix’s Photomark Gallery—a month‑long showcase of abstract silver prints. That same year, I completed a Bachelor’s in Secondary Art Education and began student teaching film photography at Centennial High School in Peoria, Arizona, sharing my passion with young creatives.

Full‑Time Commitment

After my father’s passing in 2016, I embraced fine art photography full‑time, debuting my landscape and nature prints at festivals across central and northern Arizona. A feature in ShoutoutArizona in 2021 further connected me with collectors and art lovers throughout the region.

Embracing Abstraction

Though Arizona’s terrain remains dear to me, in 2024 I returned to the abstract impulses of my early practice—casting off conventional creative constraints to pursue unbounded personal expression. Today, my images explore the interplay of hue and form with imagination and emotion, inviting you to step beyond the familiar and discover your own resonant truths.

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Awards:

  • November 2019 - Artwork "Zion's Depths" chosen to be featured in Saatchi Art's "Flora and Fauna" Collection

  • July 2018 - Received Second Place Award of Excellence for the "H2O" exhibition at the J. Mane Gallery of San Francisco.

  • March 2018 - Received First Place Award of Excellence for the "Seasons" exhibition at the J. Mane Gallery of San Francisco.

​Exhibitions:

  • “Perspectives of Greater Phoenix”, Greater Phoenix Economic Council. - May 2025. Group exhibition - abstract titled "Desire"

  • "Phoenix On Film", Phoenix Film Revival March 2020. - Group exhibition - I had three toned silver prints in the exhibit which was a month long show depicting scenes of downtown Phoenix, Arizona.

  • "Natural Adaptations," Photomark, 2009 - Solo exhibition - Featuring a series of abstract black and white silver prints, this exhibition examined the unique abstract patterns created by tree roots in their pursuit of water, captured through the lens of macro photography.

Events
Throughout the year, I journey across Arizona, sharing my fine art photography at select art festivals. These gatherings offer an opportunity not just to exhibit my prints, but to connect—personally and meaningfully—with collectors, art lovers, and fellow creatives drawn to the quiet power of abstraction and the enduring beauty of the natural world.

Education
Between 2007 and 2009, I immersed myself in a broad and enriching study of the arts. My path toward a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Art Education at Ottawa University was shaped by courses in photography, painting, drawing, life drawing, two-dimensional design, art history, psychology, and religious studies. This diverse foundation deepened my understanding of visual language and the emotional resonance of image-making.

Influences
My creative vision has been profoundly shaped by the works of artists such as Mark Rothko, Aaron Siskind, Willem de Kooning, Wassily Kandinsky, Jack Dykinga, and Alain Briot. Their mastery of form, color, and emotional depth continues to echo through my own work. These influences—discovered through years of study, contemplation, and practice—anchor my process and inspire my ongoing exploration of photography as both a mirror and a metaphor.

A photographer sits next to his camera taking a photograph.