What Can I Say, Life is a Journey!
I always wanted to be an artist but I didn't think I had enough life experience to make a significant statement. I was fascinated by patterns in nature and patterns in general.
My Life Would Never Be the Same!
In 1979, at age 20, I spent all of my savings accumulated during my youth to attend a four month journey on a ship (Semester at Sea) visiting (13) third world countries in Asia, Africa, and South America. It was a life changing experience. The world was now my home.
Art Center College of Design
From there, I decided to apply to Art Center College of Design. I was accepted as an illustration major but didn’t think you could make a living as an illustrator. I switched my major to Graphic and Package Design; an area I knew absolutely nothing about. These were very demanding years. I was burnt out by the time I secured my BFA in Graphic and Package Design in 1984.
CalTech's Backdoor
The highlight of that experience was my participation in a 1982 pilot program matching CalTech computer programmers with artists. James Blinn, the pioneer of 3D computer graphic modeling, was the CalTech Professor. Although my assigned programmer took the whole semester writing his program, I continued to work on my project until I graduated. I would go to the CalTech basement, full of NASA hand-me-downs, at two or three AM to start the generation of a single frame. It could take over 24 hours; assuming no one killed my job because it was tying up all the computer resources. This was the beginning of my fascination with computers as an art tool.
Golden Handcuffs
I spent the next few decades working the 9 to 5 path outside of the arts. It paid the bills and allowed me the time to continue to explore my personal art interests without the pressure of making a living off the arts. Eventually, I secured a state job with benefits. The golden handcuffs were now on!
I Poked the Bear!
Feeling limited by the state job, I became a union activist and eventually a lawyer. It took about eight years for me to realize my personal moral and ethical values were not compatible with the legal profession. I needed to get back on my true path involving the arts.
Then the 2020 pandemic hit!
I retired from the law and then participated in my first art studio show. The work was based on 2D fractal models. The event was very successful and encouraging. A few months later, the pandemic hit forcing everyone into months of shelter-in-place. During this isolation, I pursued research in a 3D fractal model. This led me to the circle. Specifically, the 63rd degree. The 63rd degree resulted in images and music loops.