“I remember how nervous I was that first day of school. I was six years old, had just moved into the community and started to school right away. Our teacher told us that we could draw and color all day. At the end of the day, she collected all of our artwork. The next morning when I entered the classroom, some of our drawings were displayed on the wall. Some of my little drawings were among them and from that moment on, I was hooked!”

Gary took advantage of art instruction wherever and whenever possible. His father was employed at a local aerospace company and the company began offering art workshops to their employees and families. The courses were taught by professional artists employed by the company. “I think the art instruction I received back then helped form a solid foundation for me”. Gary made the decision to seek employment at that same company. “I had become very familiar with the company and the opportunities that were available. The company had a terrific apprenticeship program in illustration and the artists that had taught me in those early years encouraged me to enter the apprenticeship program when I finished high school. I would work as an Illustrator during the day and study art in the evenings. I eventually left that company and obtained a position in advertising and illustration." While working as a commercial artist, Gary continued to study and work hard at becoming a good painter. “Supporting my family in commercial art was very enjoyable, but there are differences in the approach and process. When I created art for an employer or client, the goal was to satisfy their requirements, but when I am in my studio working on a painting, my goal is to create art that has all the essential elements, but most of all captures the viewer's imagination”.  As a representational painter, Gary’s approach to painting begins with the belief that a painting can have all the necessary qualities that are essential to good art but fails if it is not interesting to the observer. “I want the person viewing my work to experience the art, not just look at it as a pretty picture. Art that stirs emotion is true art! I think that creating art that brings emotion to the person looking at it is probably the most difficult part of the process." Gary joined the prestigious Oil Painters of America organization several years ago. “Being accepted into OPA is an honor. OPA is wonderful organization that promotes representational painters. The support and promotional events that they offer for their members have been a tremendous boost for painters like me”. In more recent years, Gary has been fortunate to receive art instruction from accomplished painters including Carrie Ballantyne, Fred Fellows, Martin Greele, Bruce Greene, Roy Andersen and Michael Poulsen. "These artists are so creative and I have learned so much from them. They are such great human beings too!"