Hi,

     That is me. Take a good look but not to long. I don't like having my picture taken. I analyze them like one of my drawings or stories I wrote. I have no way of enhancing it. What you see is what I am. Maybe that is why I draw and create stories, because I have a reality i can control. I nitpick that my head is to big, my nose is reddish, or I look like a Goliath next to most people. And don't get me started on my hair. As long as I don't see myself doing things, I do pretty good. But you are not here to read about my anthropomorphic physic, but for a little history lesson and what I can do.

     I was born in the last few days of 1966. My mom had a tumor in the way that affected my right leg. My foot turns to the right and my hip hurts once in a while. I walk odd, but I can get from point A to point B as well as anyone. My dad passed away when I was five years old at my brother's wedding reception, after that I never felt like I fitted in anywhere. Good thing I like solitude. I spent most of my life feeling sorry for myself and depressed, but I kept pushing myself instead of doing drugs, alcohol, or just do nothing at all. I used to blame someone for the low self-esteem, but the reality is I choose to believe it. You get a say in how you see yourself, so always see yourself as someone special.

     I was always above average at drawing. I also lost myself in comic books. I created my own characters to entertain myself. While other kids had imaginary friends, I had a superhero team fighting the bad, while inadvertently helping me become brave inside. I made up some pretty cool quests as a superhero, and I know that affirmation helped strengthen my persona. 

     Since I was in 6th grade, my hope is that I would be an entrepreneur like my dad tried to be. I did art whenever I could, drawing whatever I thought of or was asked to. I never said no because I didn't know what I was capable of. It is good to push yourself. I still have dreams of owning a profitable business, and every day I get closer.

     I went to TRI-C, Eastern Campus, to learn all the art lessons I could. Every teacher I had told me I needed to go to an art college, but that was not in my plans. I fought my self-pity till my mid-thirties, so I am still building. From there, I relied on books to increase my skills. Sadly, I ended up putting to much time at a dead-end job, and spending time with people who went on their own journeys leaving me behind. As they should have.

     A lot happened in the last 24 years. Marriage. Having children. Health issues for my son and later my wife. Basically, a lot of challenges I had to carry my family through. My dreams stalled as I had to put family first, work second. I quit the dead-end job to focus on my career, but being a father and dad was my occupation. And before I knew it, we were living in a hotel, lost a lot of our possessions, and praying for a miracle. Enter October Sun Studios.