When I was a young child in grade school, I used to draw pictures with pencil and crayon of various Disney and cartoon characters. Then trade them with my fellow students for snacks or a soda for recess. Forward a few years later…

Midway through my first year of an Illustration program at a technical college, a professor brought in an architectural Illustrator who serviced the New England and New York areas. I had no idea that there were companies that provided these services to the Design Industry. A light suddenly went off in my head and heart! This was what I had wanted to do my whole life. I realized that I could use my passion for architecture and my growing skillsets in Illustration. 

It was the late 1980s, computers were just entering the art and architectural Industries. So architectural renderings were done by hand with traditional media. It was a very specialized industry with most professionals being individual practitioners with just a small hand full of firms being large enough to have multiple employees. In my early twenties, I moved to Florida which at the time was one of the fastest-growing states. I began to pursue a career as an Architectural Illustrator. I emersed myself in the field, attempting to learn and master the varying techniques of the masters in this field. Learning different media and styles including pen & Ink, watercolor, and opaques (which at the time were used to create photorealistic renderings). 

In the late 1990’s I began working in-house at a few architectural firms in central Florida. The ability to learn and hone my talent and skills with Architects that were eager to teach and had such wide and varying professional practices gained me experience and insight that I could not have learned in any school or University. Those friendships and professional relationships have lasted and are still present today. In the early 2000’s I went to work for WMKA, an architectural firm based out of St. Thomas, USVI. I was an in-house conceptual Illustrator and traveling Charrette artist. This was an incredible experience and allowed me to travel throughout the southern US and the Caribbean, being an integral part of the design teams and gaining further insight on the overall design process as well as the engaged creative process with clients. The firm specialized in Resorts, Multi-family, Upscale homes, Commercial offices, Education, and Retail. In 2006, I went to work for a large rendering studio in Central Florida. I was their lead project manager, interfacing with a national and international clientele. I was also responsible for quality control and art direction of traditional art in the studio. In 2007, I began to oversee the development of the 3d studio. We created policies and procedures to streamline our 3d projects to make them profitable in-house. 

At the end of 2007, I returned to my passion for creating traditional style, hand-drawn and painted renderings. I also returned to work at WMKA in their Winter Park office and continued traveling to support the firm as a traveling Charrette artist.  Lean times were swept in at the end of 2008 with the Great Recession. Like many of my friends and