About Me

I live in Trumbull, Connecticut with my wife Kasey and Loki the Labrador (the real genius of the house!). My son Liam is a sophomore at Penn State University in State College, PA.

By day, I’m a co-owner / Creative Director of VisionMix Digital Media, a boutique digital design agency. At night - and whenever else I can fit it in - I can be found at my workbench painting a wide variety of historical and fantasy figures.

Outside of the figure world, I’m a connoisseur of fine scotch and an avid golfer … albeit, not a very good one ;)

What was the 1st figure you ever painted?

Outside of the general armor kits that I built when I was a kid, the first “real” figure I think I ever painted was a 120 mm Verlinden kit of a Desert Storm Navy Seal. That was way back when I was in art school out in Seattle … probably mid 90’s. 

What's your favorite painting medium and why?

Scale 75 Artist Acrylics, 100%. I just love the creamy texture and how they blend so effortlessly. Mix in a little AK Interactive Ultra-Matte varnish and you’re in heaven … 

Who is your favorite figure manufacturer?

Yikes … that’s tough! For 1/35th and 1/16 scale figures, I have to give it up to my friend Taesung Harmms and Alpine Miniatures. That really where I started to find my groove. Recently I’ve been drawn to large scale fantasy busts, and I have to say that Ignis Arts produces some truly beautiful sculpts.

What are your favorite topics and or historical periods to paint?

These days I really jump back and forth between historical and fantasy. World War 2 has always been a major draw for me, as well as the ancients - Greece / Rome. That said, the colors on Napoleonic figures are just so lovely to paint and offer a nice break from camo. Last, but not least, I think you can easily tell from my body of work that painting fantasy female subjects has been a real draw of late.

Do you have a favorite artist and why?

There are just so many talented artists out there … it’s really hard to say. I’m constantly referencing work from Kiril Kanaev and Arnau Lazaro, pouring over their wonderful FAQ books from AK. I’m in awe of Erik Swinson’s work, and have really enjoyed getting to see his work up close at MFCA. I’m also a pretty big fan of Greg DiFranco, who’s been both an inspiration and a mentor over the years. 

Do you have any advice for beginning painters?

I really believe that successfully mastering face-painting is the most critical first step for any aspiring figure painter. With that in mind, I tell folks to jump into a large-scale bust - 1/10 or 1/12 scale - and do their best to work through the subtleties of the face. The larger scale will also help refine blending techniques and detail work that can sometimes be merely suggested in smaller scales. The second best piece of advice is not to be scared … push your limits, try new things, be prepared to fail and try again. Nobody ever learned anything of value - especially in a creative endeavor - without first sucking at it, seeing the mistakes, and thinking through ways to improve. Lastly, ask for help. The thing I love most about this community is that we are all on the same journey, and everyone I’ve encountered in the hobby is happy to share their experiences … whether novice or master.