My journey with acrylic artwork began quite unexpectegly when after 30 years of service in the United States Air Force, I was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease and medically retired  from active service. Like many people who suddenly find themselves out of work and facing an uncertain future, I fell into a deep depression and questioned my purpose in life. With a neurodegenerative disease preventing me from working, a mind complicated by PTSD from my deployements to Iraq and from caring for wounded & dying troops, I felt out of control and helpless. Then quite by accident, I discovered a children's acrylic art set my wife had purchased some time in the past. Though I have tremor in my dominate hand, and dystonia, rigidity, and dyskenesia which conspire against any effort on my part to draw a straight line let alone paint, I took up the challenge and created the artwork entitled "Sunset #1," which you will find in my gallery. Please understand that I have never painted before, except perhasp finger painting as a small child. I knew I had acheived something special when my family asked me, "did you do that?" (meaning, "that's actually not so bad").

With the support of my treatment team, my family, and my faith, I took control of the disease that was controlling me, and created even more works, this time using real canvas and high grade paints. I have a purpose now, a good one, to bless people I love with gifts of art. More important, I have a purpose to encourage others who feel locked-up, locked-out, and locked-in by circumstances of health, disability, PTSD, and anything else that binds people from the freedom they can find through expressing themselves through art. I invite you to view my gallery as an encouragement to try something new and to bless others with it. Like me, you willfind that you are not hopeless or helpless. In fact you are UNBOUND!