About THE ARTIST
Before the terrorist attacks on 9/11, I was a Fine Art Major. I was also a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps serving as a Marine Scout Sniper. Under Presidential Orders I was immediately activated for two years following the 9/11 attacks. I fought on the frontline during the invasion of Iraq in 2003 with my Scout Sniper team Seminole 4, Regimental Combat Team 1, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.
After returning from Iraq, my responsibilities shifted to raising a family, building a career in banking and earning my B.S. in Business from Cal State University Channel Islands. When my career appeared to have plateaued, I attended the University of Southern California (USC) and earned my Master of Business for Veterans degree. As incredibly rewarding as that was, at this juncture I could not be further from one of my childhood dreams – becoming an artist. Coincidentally, the entrepreneur studies at USC helped me map out a viable business plan where now, more than 20 years after the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon that changed the lives of so many, myself included, I am pursuing my life long passion to be an artist.
Authenticity, intrinsic meaning and giving back to the veteran community through charitable donations are at the center of my goals for the art. I want to illustrate life through the eyes of veterans. Our experiences were intense and personal, even unrelatable at times to those who were not there, but they united us. I aspire to bring together the unique combination of our real-world battlefield experiences with my artistic ability and translate that into a meaningful fine art collection, while continuing to do good for our community and country.
Semper Fidelis