I was a kid who liked to draw. I drew on church
bulletins, I drew on restaurant paper place mats. I drew
on anything and everything anytime, all of the time. I
started with stick men and it went on from there.
I was often asked if I was going to be an artist when I grew up. My solid answer was "No."
Even with supportive parents, I held on to the belief that you couldn't make a living as an artist.
It took me some time in college to enter into the Fine Arts Department at the University of Texas. Eventually, I realized that creating pictures of people and places was what I was best at. I would use the remaining time in college to gain the knowledge to make ART my life's career. I've been supporting myself and my family as an artist ever since.
I always wanted to illustrate children's books. At the start of my freelance career, I sent out letters and portfolios to quite a number of book publishers. I received only rejections.
Then, a small publisher in Arizona with a story about armadillos did a web query for armadillo and children's book illustrator. My early website had a children's book section and an image of some dancing armadillos.
And so a career path began..."
The company liked the work I did so much they offered me another and then another and another.
I am now the proud illustrator of 10 children's books.
I was often asked if I was going to be an artist when I grew up. My solid answer was "No."
Even with supportive parents, I held on to the belief that you couldn't make a living as an artist.
It took me some time in college to enter into the Fine Arts Department at the University of Texas. Eventually, I realized that creating pictures of people and places was what I was best at. I would use the remaining time in college to gain the knowledge to make ART my life's career. I've been supporting myself and my family as an artist ever since.
I always wanted to illustrate children's books. At the start of my freelance career, I sent out letters and portfolios to quite a number of book publishers. I received only rejections.
Then, a small publisher in Arizona with a story about armadillos did a web query for armadillo and children's book illustrator. My early website had a children's book section and an image of some dancing armadillos.
And so a career path began..."
The company liked the work I did so much they offered me another and then another and another.
I am now the proud illustrator of 10 children's books.