You know they say good things come to those who wait, I tend to think that good things come to those who are persistent.
THE BEGINNING
From early on in grade school art was always something that fascinated and intrigued me. During my spare time I would often find myself doodling on a piece of paper. In Junior High I even found myself more intrigued by creating sprites on the TRS-80 in my computer class than learning BASIC. As I entered into High School I focused much of time in my art and drafting classes. I actually have to thank my art teacher Mrs. Franck for encouraging me to begin pushing the boundaries of of the art I was doing, while at the same time my drafting teacher, Mr. Glassman taught me the many technical aspects and attention to detail in design.
LIFE DEFINING
Some of my greatest and most rewarding experiences in life have also been some of my greatest challenges and has really defined who I am as a person.
In 1999, I had the honor to take a journey that most only dream of doing. And that was to hike the Appalachian Trail from end to end. Some 2,100 miles traveling through some of the most gorgeous and toughest mountains of the East Coast stretching from Georgia to Maine. Some 4000 people attempt this hike each year with only an average of 400 actually making it from end to end. From temperatures ranging from 15 degrees in the winter and 110 degrees in the summer, one must walk literally by foot carrying everything they needed on their back.
Shortly after my hike I took a job with Eckerd Youth Alternatives at a wilderness camp for in-crisis teens. The average counselor was required to sign a 2 year contract, that of which an average of only 1 out of 10 counselors would keep. During these 2 years a counselor would need to work 5 - 21 days straight for 24 hours a day, while managing a group of 10 youth to make better decisions through day to day living in a wilderness setting.