As an artist, I have been drawing and painting since early childhood. My parents had a 'baby book' where I scribbled my first images, not much to look at but colorful. As a teen I produced a lot of black and white ink drawings on paper later using colored ink. I have always maintained a steady stream of pencil drawings, some quite detailed. As a young adult I moved on to oil painting on canvas and later found that acrylic paints were very easy to use, by just adding water. At that point it was still ingrained in me to build up layers and layers of thin coats to provide the detail and transparency I enjoyed. I was told that I painted in the style of the "Old Masters". They spent long hours waiting for layers of paint to dry before the next could be applied. Some of my paintings have taken up to 400 hours sitting in front of a canvas applying layers of paint. No "magic method" in this process. I realized that a luminosity could be achieved in some areas by this method. Albert Bierstadt has always been a favorite of mine. The jungle paintings of Henri Rousseau were one of my early influences also.
I have always been interested in Japanese and Chinese art. As a young adult I read James Michener's "The Floating World", a history of Ukiyo-e woodblock paintings, and have been painting Samurai ever since. Kuniyoshi was always my favorite artist of that early Japanese period. After a few years I began to seriously study Chinese and Japanese culture. Later my attention transferred to martial arts when I began training in Chinese Kenpo, White Crane Kung Fu and later Tai Chi Chuan that I still practice today.
During these years of training, while studying Asian art and philosophy, I arrived at a dynamic process of painting that incorporates Yin and Yang elements in all my paintings. Ancient Chinese masters, who retired to the mountains of China, incorporated these ideas in their scroll paintings. They followed "dragon lines" of force evident to their seasoned eyes. It is this philosophy behind my painting technique that I will discuss under my page entitled Philosophy of Painting.
My interest in tropical plants started early, now being an avid gardener. Seeing my first "Night Blooming Cereus" led me to travel to Hawaii many years ago with my wife. After we made our first scuba dive I have been painting tropical fish and reef scenes ever since. The biodiversity available there was a life altering experience. The unlimited varieties of fish, their vivid coloration and habitats in evidence in the Hawaiian islands have provided me with unlimited subject matter and inspiration.
I have been playing the guitar since I was in high school, in a number of local bands after that, and discovered Hawaiian slack key guitar on a trip to Hawaii. I have placed Punahele on this site for your listening pleasure while viewing my paintings.
Professionally I have been employed in the IT industry providing server support and teaching computer courses at the college level.
