Biography

I was born in 1961 and raised in Berkeley CA. My formal artistic education started early when I had the opportunity to attend an art oriented middle school, The Renaissance School, for students who showed artistic aptitude. As a teenager I spent much of my time doing comic book type illustrations in imitation of the underground styles of the seventies. In 1986 I graduated with a BA in fine arts from UCLA where I devoted my studies to drawing and painting as well as concentrating on more conceptual forms, studying under such artists as William Brice and Chris Burden.

During a sejour from my time at the University I made an in depth and intense personal investigation into ascetics and meditation there by having the opportunity to gain a sensibility in subjective forms of perception. A great interest in Asian culture also lead me to studies in Chinese language and experimentation with Asian brush painting which emphasizes cultivating a concentration and precision on the movement of the brush upon the paper. As well as brush painting techniques I worked on a series of figurative images using enamel on shaped wood. Thematically my interest lay in images with poetic representations, words and symbols.

Moving to a more commercial career I used my illustration and design skills for various print projects including books and posters and then moved into the burgeoning digital industry to do animation and interface design. However, a trip to France encouraged me to explore the European attitude towards culture and arts which lead to a decision to move to Paris on a permanent basis.

My launch into a new artistic series began November 24 2002. Needing a larger drawing surface for a project I pulled out the board upon which lay my bed for many months. While drawing I noticed a movement in my body coming with my effort to make precise and meaningful gestures. I decided to follow this sensation to see where it would lead.

With my eyes closed and focusing on this sensation, my body soon began to shake vehemently as my pen raced over the paper. After less than an hour I discovered that this movement would come instantly whenever I approached the paper, the gestures pouring out spontaneously and automatically. This shocking and curious development compelled me to begin an investigation into this spontaneous movement and the images that come forth. And in that I am holding true to the complete automatic nature of all gestures in my work.

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