BIOGRAPHY
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In my fourth grade art class, I remember meticulously
making a small head in clay. My classmates marveled at
the level of detail I was able to achieve. I turned that
project in for a grade and with the few minutes left in
class, I quickly made an elephant which I turned in for
extra credit. My sculpture of a head got a "C"
for a grade and the elephant received an "A."
Furious at the gross injustice I suffered, I pressed my
teacher for an explanation. Her response was insufficient
and unacceptable to me. From that point on I was always
curious as to why one work of art was considered better
than another.
My parents took me to museums often and my father's
restaurant displayed the work of local artists. All
the exposure to art must have had some impact on me
for throughout high school I elected to take art classes.
By the time I entered Gustavus Adolphus College I had
made up my mind to pursue sculpture as a career. The
careful mentoring and encouragement I received from
sculptor Paul Granlund made my career choice possible.
Paul gave me the training, the knowledge and the benefit
of his years of experience which showed me what the
life of a sculptor was like.
Graduate school at the University of Minnesota was like
a meat grinder for me. I struggled as I had to develop
imagery that was both personal and unique. I came up
with work that had a spiritual presence without belonging
to any specific religion.
Since receiving a M.F.A. degree, most of my sculpture
has been created on a commissioned basis. That means
individuals or groups have put their trust in me to
create something special that fits their needs. I work
to put the needs of my client and my personal artistic
interest in a compatible form.
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