Born and raised-- Long Island, New York-- I drew at an early age with no formal training. Drawing this (Geronimo by Edward Curtis) at sixteen from an old newspaper clipping propelled me into artistic activity which eventually lead to a Cultural Arts Council Award for fine art.

I see my work is a vehicle for discovery, beauty and heritage. My subjects are found by listening to my internal and external surroundings, then express that which stirs me most at any given time. The keystone of this process is an examination of states of awareness and the nature of awareness itself.

In 2008 my series of paintings, Barack Obama: Made in Motor Oil, received international attention. My work is in the corporate collection of ExxonMobil and numerous private collections around the globe. My higher education includes Parson School of Design; New School University; and Hunter College: all in New York. I currently work and reside in Brooklyn, New York.

About Creating with Used Motor Oil:
As one medium amongst others in my work, I began painting with used motor oil in 2005. At the time I was thinking about ways to capture an essence of contemporary life. I wanted to stamp art with a material residue of this moment and one day I conceived of painting with "car oil." Oil is the lifeblood of the global economy whose reverberations reach every aspect of life today and virtually every corner of the globe. Motor oil circulates through the engines of the world, which transport lives, enable global commerce; which power wars, take lives; and used motor oil is a by-product of vast processes, both human and geological.

I employ used motor oil as both a metaphor for this age in world history, and as means of recycling the substance into art. Generally I incorporate it as a painting medium through techniques I've developed over the years. Today I continue to incorporate used motor oil into my work, as my work continues to evolve. (See how.)