I grew up in a small farming community in the Texas Panhandle. This is about as far away from a fly fishing mecca as one can possibly imagine. If you’ve ever driven down that lonely stretch of Interstate 40 between Oklahoma and New Mexico, you know what I’m talking about. Cows, grass, barb-wire fences, rusted out tractors, a never ending horizon and F-5 tornadoes are the norm there, not flowing streams full of fish. As strange as it might seem though, I did gain my love of the outdoors there. Growing up in a family that makes its living by farming and ranching; you gain an appreciation for open spaces and learn that you must respect Mother Nature’s power and beauty. Since then I’ve moved around Texas, served a 4 year sentence in the Chicago ‘burbs, and now live just far enough north of Austin, TX to avoid the “weird” that accompanies it.
An artistic nature has followed me around since I was in middle school. It only resurfaced, in its current form, after I started fly fishing. What started with crude, pencil sketches of fish while on unending conference calls, turned into digital paintings of flies, bugs and fish and that eventually lead to the wood carvings and cut-outs. I don’t tie flies, simply because there are so many talented artists that already occupy that space, but I’m constantly inspired by the uniqueness that each tier brings to the vice; it may be the color, the symmetry, or their originality that beckons me to duplicate their work on paper. I try to make these digital paintings as realistic as possible – I strive to duplicate the artistry of the tier. Sometimes, I go bold, like with the “Copper Johnson,” my rendition would be considered ‘The Copper Johns’ red-headed step child. – No offense to the red-headed step children of the world... (Because I am one!)