New year, New Chapter; Meet Tony.

A couple paragraphs to say thanks..

I have lived a truly blessed life. From day one I was born into a great family; I was encouraged, supported, trained and nurtured well by two of the greatest people on earth. I had good teachers and roll models through public school. Our family moved from Chicago to the “country” where as a child we played in the lake, and hiked and rode bikes in the woods and fields. I made art. My mother was involved and supportive every step of the way, while my Father worked tirelessly to provide everything for us all, and never left us wanting.

I left home early, started a business in California before I was 18.  I worked on Highway crews in Montana, Panned for gold in the Sierra Mountains, and spent time in Texas and most of the Western States, working at a dozen different trades in construction. I lived and camped out of a Van for several years, and lived in dozens of different towns and cities. I drew pictures and gave them to friends along the way. I traveled and experienced more before I was twenty five then some do in a lifetime.

I returned to the bustling family business and worked as a laborer, truck driver, warehouse man, flooring installer, and supervisor before running my own division of the company. I built a large log cabin and owned boats, campers, and all the toys. I started painting more seriously.

At age 30, I sold it all and moved to the backwoods in the Ozark Mountains and “homesteaded”. I built a solar powered home, and raised a garden and a large variety of small livestock. I spent my days hiking, 4 wheeling, horse back riding, and painting.

I started selling my Artwork on the side of the road, and then to Gift shops, Craft shops, and galleries. I tore down old barns, built my own frames, made prints, and attended art and craft shows, had my own exhibitions and painted commissions. I grew to a point where I was wholesaling to more than 300 shops and galleries across the south and Midwest in 20+ states.

I built a second log home nearly solo, and reclaimed an 1860’s barn and turned it into my studio. Recently I helped to design, build and run two Art Galleries in our little town of Jasper and I have my own studio and gallery in the mountains. I helped to bring two beautiful girls into this world (one of which is out to have her own baby), and now, as life would have it, I met the woman of my dreams.  We both love traveling and spending time together, and just last week I made an investment in what will be essential to the next chapter:

Meet Tony:

Life is good 🙂      Life is very very good.