a portrait of the artist 

as a young man

biographical information

understanding the experiences of the artist can give insight to the ideas contained in their works and reveal subtle connections and references.  To that effect, here is a brief summary of experiences...

overview...

Born in Baton Rouge, 11 October, 1982, I first moved to Austin, TX (South, near Oak Hill) two and a half years later.  If half of what they say about the importance of those years and especially how one is treated by one's parents, I thank my parents incessantly for giving me what the did.  In south Austin, where I would spend up to the end of my fifth grade year, I attended JA Patton Elementary.  It was in great part due to my music and art teachers at this school that I was steered towards the arts.  

my life was in great part idyllic to that point.  For example, perhaps I had some intrinsic knowledge of mortality shared by us all, but I had no experience with death first hand.  But going into sixth grade, my family moved to Lee, New Hampshire.  It was a bit of a change.  It was perhaps not as violent a shock as some others, but it was sufficient to shake my perceptions.  At that point I really  began to understand see and understand things differently than others, that characteristic that in part defines the artist.

After the  two and a half year "vacation" in New Hampshire, we returned to Austin (or rather, 20 miles north to Round Rock) for high school.  Round Rock High School was extremely large and as a result there were more opportunities than found at most high schools.  I took advantage of this as much as possible (for the list of specifics, see the curriculum vitae).  The greatest part of my time was spent in the instrumental music programs in marching band, wind ensemble, jazz ensemble and the smaller ensembles which are subsets of those.  I had the honor of serving as Drum Major my senior year.  (That's why I'm wearing a toga to the right).

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church history...

at about age four, my family began to attend Hope Chapel in Austin, Texas.  Growing up there was probably the greatest influence on my young life in all aspects.  I can see now the foundations then set being finally used and anticipate what else will come in the future.  While we attended two other churches (one in Hew Hampshire and one which was a plant out of Hope), we have kept returning.

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my connection with Hope Chapel has greatly influenced my art in two ways.  First the emphasis on worship - complete worship not limited to music on Sunday mornings - gives my art (more so my life) meaning.  Second, it is a community which honors the arts, and in it there is a community of artists.  Among other things, there is the annual Hope Arts Festival...

word over chaos...

during a short-term missions trip to Reynosa, Mexico in the spring of 2000 I was called to be an intercessor.  Since then I have been learning what that means, but spending that much time in discourse with God has been incredible.  You can even see the change in my art after that point.

"word over chaos" is a small group of intercessors formed on that trip.  It is (pictured right to left) Marie Tobola, Justin Kanewske and myself with many others who join us from time to time.  Our focus is for Austin, Texas and the facets of it which we come in contact with (most significantly Hope Chapel and Hope in the City).  meetings are (usually) on the first, third and fifth thursdays in the prayer room at Hope Chapel at 7:00 and the door is always open...