I was born in an agricultural area in Connecticut, but have subsequently lived in eleven states. I have considered myself an artist throughout my life. For years I used a camera to acquire resource material for other works. When people began asking if they could buy my photos, I felt I needed to give photography greater importance. Steven Spielberg’s organization bought three of my photos as set decorations for a television show. That was when I began calling myself a photographer. I have two books in print. The second, The Four Directions – A Southwestern Journey, I self-published as a limited edition. It won the gold medal for Coffee Table Books in the Independent Publisher’s Awards (IPPYs) in 2020.
A man asked me what inspires me. I told him, if I could articulate it, I wouldn’t have to make the pictures.
In fact, I do have to make the pictures. And, when I do, I’m driven by decay, beauty, contrast, humor, unity, love, hate, sorrow, joy, and a whole lot of other things that are banging around in my head while the world streams in through my eyes. Everywhere I go, I see potential pictures. Some are reminiscent of what I’ve learned in the history of art in general and photography in particular. Some are fresh, new ideas that thrill me to the marrow! My saddest moments happen when I’m on my way to an appointment and I can’t stop to create. I want my pictures to look the way Thelonious Monk sounds. Sometimes I get close. Why do I make pictures? Because I have to.
