I grew up in a five-bedroom farm house, the one where my dad was born. I was one of eight children in that home, five girls and three boys. We all helped with the chores, tended to the gardens, and moved cattle from one pasture to another. Cow tipping was not allowed and muddy boots were left outside.

I showed an early aptitude for drawing. I continued to paint and draw through junior high, high school, and college. After college, I taught art for two years and did my level best to pull the creativity from my students. While in that position, I became the editor of the school’s yearbook. We set the type with a new thing called an Apple computer.

I then went back to college at Kansas City Art Institute, imbued with great tradition, a staff of virtuosos, and a multitude of aspiring and talented students. The campus, situated between the Kemper Museum of Modern Art and the Nelson-Atkins, provided many years of artistic indulgence. I worked my way through school and could often be found in North Studio after midnight. I was the life of the party after hours, and could often be found asleep on the couch.

I have been working in design, branding, marketing, and advertising for the past fifteen years.

It was in Kansas City that I met Sharon Spillar, who has been my wife ever since. A job opportunity brought us to St. Louis in 1994. My wife and I are not alone here. We share our home with our two children, two cats, a dog, and a lizard. My wife and I work hard to keep a roof over head and to teach our children right from wrong.