I have drawn and painted all my life, but after taking my first oil painting class at age 8, I have always favored oils.  I received a degree in architecture from Texas Tech and after retiring from a 40-year career in architecture and general contracting, I returned to the easel and rediscovered my passion for oil painting.  My nature has always been to paint as realistically as possible while my desire is to be more free and impressionistic in my work. I constantly struggle to achieve the freshness I admire in other works of art.  I have attended various workshops focusing on both studio and plein-air painting, and continue honing my skills in portraiture, landscape, and still-life painting.