Born and raised amid the peanut fields and pecan groves of Southeast Alabama, I began drawing at an early age (4 years old, maybe?) with whatever instrument and on whatever paper was available – usually, a ball point pen on lined notebook paper! My parents recognized my potential and put me in art lessons at age 8. I took art all the way through school, through senior year, culminating in AP Art. But after high school? Life got busy with college, then marriage, then kids. And I just kind of let it all lapse. Until one day, 17 years later, I found myself drawing cartoon characters for my kids with crayons. I thought, “I miss this.” So I invested in some better colored pencils and began drawing for fun again, posting my work to Facebook. Less than six months later, I had my first commission request, which led to five more for Christmas that year. Three years later, here I am. God is good, and I’m very thankful for the opportunity to use this talent to be a source of light and goodness in this world. The most rewarding thing about this is when people tell me how much of an impact my work had on them.

I’ve been married to my wife for nearly 13 years, and we have two beautiful, school-aged children, both of whom are great artists themselves! We are so proud of them. I graduated Cum Laude from Troy University with a B.S. in Broadcast Journalism.

ARTISTIC METHOD & PHILOSOPHY:

I use either graphite pencil (black and white) or colored pencil for all of my works, emphasis on the latter.

But throw out what you think you know about “drawing with colored pencils!” I use a painterly technique that honestly has more in common with oil on canvas than any conventional “drawing,” and my works often get mistaken for oil paintings.

There are essentially two elements to my artistic pursuits:

I’m a portraitist specializing in pets, people, and architecture. As of July 2026, I have completed 56 projects since October 2023. Most of these have been pet portraits, and I’ve developed a unique style there. These original drawings become the property of the owner upon completion.

The other part of what I do is original, inspired works intended to be sold for prints, and for submission to competitions and galleries.

My inspired work might be described as “emotionally accessible realism.” Some of my inspirations include Norman Rockwell, Edward Hopper, and Terry Redlin. I believe art, done properly, should challenge boundaries and cause the viewer to ponder. I believe in portraying the human condition, in all of its messiness and nuance. Some of my works are happy and whimsical. Others may be dark and deep. We should not hold back, nor self censor. My work is not afraid of “going there,” addressing tough subjects. I am never afraid to let the viewer wrestle with the tension within, believing that life is nuanced. Therefore, I often don’t attempt to offer tidy resolutions. It is my hope and prayer that my works will inspire viewers and fans to think deeply and sit with the tension therein.

IT’S A LATE NIGHT DRAWING SESSION AND YOU’RE UP. WHAT’S PLAYING IN YOUR EARBUDS?

I have an incredibly diverse taste, and a list of what I don’t like would be shorter.

Any 80’s or 90’s country that I grew up on, the nostalgic overload of George Strait, Garth Brooks, Alabama, Travis Tritt, all of the “hat acts” etc. (If you don’t belt out “Friends in Low Places” with the window down, can we really be friends? Kidding!)

Classic rock & roll: Bruce Springsteen (big fan!), U2, Pink Floyd, Kansas, John Denver.

Crossover classical/pop: Michael Buble. Josh Groban. Andrea Bocelli. Celine Dion. The Piano Guys.

Any of the classics from the big band era: Love some Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Dean Martin…

Old hymns, especially the theological depth and aesthetic beauty of the Wesleyan hymns.

Like I said, my tastes are all over the place!

FAVORITE MOVIES:

It’s A Wonderful Life. Saving Private Ryan. The Patriot. Schindler’s List. Goodfellas. Hoosiers. The Shawshank Redemption. John Q. Remember the Titans. Rudy. Radio. Home Alone.

HOBBIES, OTHER THAN ART?

Hiking! I don’t get to go as much as I’d like, but there’s nothing like a scenic trail on a beautiful day. Nature photography. Kayaking. Reading. Fishing. Language learning (currently working on Italian, with plans to learn Spanish later!) I get a lot out of serving as a deacon and head usher at my church. And of course, spending time with my family and making sweet memories with them.

FAVORITE SPORTS TEAMS:

The Troy Trojans will always be my top college sports team, proud alumnus here. For cultural and family reasons, I’m also an Alabama fan. For pro sports: the Atlanta Braves, Green Bay Packers, and the Nashville Predators. I’ll confess that I don’t follow regular season pro sports much until playoff time, so I’m probably a fair weather fan there!

VARIOUS & SUNDRY:

October to December is my favorite time of year. Love Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, and all things fall. Summer is okay, but I tolerate it until it’s time for fall again! I’m a cool weather person.

I’m very food adventurous, and I say I’ll try anything with an open mind once. I like any kind of Italian food, and I could eat that just about anytime.

Favorite outfit? A long sleeved button down, sport coat, dark jeans, and my cowboy boots.