Artist Biography

I always remember drawing and listening to music as a child. My father had a huge record collection from rock, ambient, singing whales, the list is long. I would pick out a record and listen closely, read the lyrics and study the album art work. That’s when he started calling me mono, because I loved his stereo so much. He still calls me Mono.

I have a couple family influences that propelled me through the years. My Aunt Brenda and Uncle Bob Pepper are very talented illustrators living in Brooklyn, NY. They are very successful and their art was used in books, book covers, album covers cards, games, magazines, etc. One famous game my uncle did was the artwork for the 1979 game Dark Tower. I always looked up to them and they wrote me letters encouraging me and gave me advice. I thought I could never be that talented.

Then there was my Great-Grandmother Jo Snider of Whidbey Is. She was an oil painter who painted the sea, birds, flowers, still life, mountains, and garden scenes. She gave me lessons on how to use oils and we painted together. I was young then about 10. She took me to her local Greenbank art classes, many artists painted in those classes. Her artwork is in homes all over the Puget Sound. She was a huge influence for me.

When I was 19 I attended the School of Visual Concepts in Seattle for a short period, but long enough to really give me the art bug permanently.
I had an oil class where we focused on figure drawing and then went into actually stretching our own canvas, gesso, and painted something abstract. To me that was the best thing I have ever done! I thought there is no stopping me now, I can stretch canvas! I spent all my birthday money and any gift money that came to me on art supplies. By the time I was 22 I had a pretty good collection about 35 pieces that I really liked. On Friday May 1st, The Rodney King Riots arrived in Seattle and my apartment was hit with a Molotov cocktail while I was at the Rock Candy watching the band Red Cross. Funny because I ended up going to the Red Cross for help afterwards. I lost all my art and I didn’t paint for about a year. I lived on Summit and John on Capitol Hill and actually worked in the salon below my apartment, so I lost my home and job. A local punk band called Sore Jackson did a benefit show for me at The Store Room and gave me the proceeds. That was so cool.

My sister was working at a resort in Cooperlanding AK. I decided to leave the city and start over. In that time I fell in love, had a baby, and got married….oh and started painting.

I have two boys named Max and Summit, great kids. I have lived in Washington, Alaska, Utah, and now reside in a small town in Montana. My creative seed was planted in Seattle and I feel Seattle and the Puget Sound are my greatest influence and will always be my home.

I hope there is a piece you like, that is my goal.