A's profile
I was raised on the post WW2 western Pacific island of Guam from 1952 to 1963. It was a paradise of extremes, from the glorious treasures of the ocean, to giant coconut crabs and the lavish fiestas where all races were welcome. In contrast, hidden bombs and hand grenades were still being tripped over and killing people years after the war. However, it was the typhoons that devastated Guam five times that caused us to return to America. Following three transformative years in Long Beach California, my family then moved to the Panama Canal Zone where I began painting and exhibiting before graduating from high school with honors. Every summer we loved exploring Guatemala and its colorful culture! For the first time, I was allowed to fly to the Mayan ruins of Tikel in the Yucatan, which sparked an avid interest in archeology. However, my greatest thrills were in slashing through wildly beautiful unexplored jungles with my machete, finding pristine rivers and untouched beaches. Consequently, my creative roots are a mix of jungle time, Latino, Chinese and Pre Colombian art. I am not just another white boy.
In 1976, I joined the Navy and worked in military intelligence in the Philippines. From there I was appointed to Public Affairs for the Navy's flight demonstration squadron, the Blue Angels for four astonishing years, to every state except Alaska. I appeared on national television twice. Then, for six months I was selected for a flight on one of the Space Shuttles before being disqualified by an ear issue. It was the Challenger. Shortly after it's horrific explosion during the launch, I left the Navy to pursue a BFA in 1988 at Otis Parsons in LA. In my junior year I was awarded a traveling scholarship to Paris, France. At first I was in heaven, then my finances disappeared and I went to work on the black market, where I accidently ingested rat poison. I was a serious mess for six months, yet out of that, my work exploded into multiple disciplines and new concepts. I was then awarded a traveling scholarship to Istanbul, which also expanded my research and aesthetics to include the Middle East's rich history.
In 1990, I received my MFA at the Maryland College of Art. In the first semester I was hired as assistant to Salvatore Scarpitta, the Arte Povera sculptor with the Leo Castelli Gallery. Our relationship lasted ten years in which Sal took me to Italy five times, the last to install Sal's seventh solo at the Venice Bienalle.
This opened the door to my work being exhibited in the Italian Alps as well as being selected into the Pavilion of Contemporary Art in Milan, before the museum was leveled by a terrorist bomb. I also exhibited in the Gomez Gallery in Baltimore and the Ace Gallery, New York, as well as multiple locations in France and Korea. Group shows in Egypt and India included my work. I've traveled to, or lived in 37 nations thus far. My essays have appeared in several publications, including the annual Fulbright Journal.
I taught sculpture and drawing at the Maryland Institute College of Art for twenty years before retiring from teaching. During that time I also taught at Towson University and Anne Arundel Community College and lectured in other Maryland colleges. I then graduated as a Christian minister and served in Baltimore's downtown jail system for six years. This also changed the direction of my work to include experimental sound and performance.
Twice I've been awarded the Pollock-Krasner Fellowship, along with four MD State grants, among other awards. In 2003-04, I was selected by the State Department as a Senior Fulbright Scholar to Sung Kyun Kwan University in Seoul, Korea for a year and initiated MICA's exchange program with Korea. During that time I traveled to Japan to research Korea's historic impact on the early development of Japanese aesthetics. I was also invited to lecture at China's Central Academy in Beijing, as well as multiple locations in Korea.
Residencies include Succat Hallel in Jerusalem in 2019, TAC at the Tannery in Santa Cruz, CA- 2017, Ireland in 2015 and in 2014 at the Tyrone Guthrie Center. Others include Chateau Rochefort-en-Terre in Brittany, France, the Marie Walsh Sharpe Space Program in NYC, Sculpture Space and the Vermont Studio Program.
Currently, I'm writing a book, An Abundance of Stars. I continue to work in seven mediums in my Baltimore studio.
