After thirty years of admonishing biology students at Radford University to “draw exactly what you see,” I had had enough of super realism and now paint in abstract and impressionist styles. Oils are my favorite medium, followed by acrylics and the occasional water color or gouache. In my younger years my artistic pursuit was piano, and I gave a senior recital before studying for a career as a biochemist. My piano skills began to wane as I went into administration, and it would have taken years to recover, so upon retirement I took up painting instead.
Watercolor is as organic as the landscape, forest, streams and communities we live by. It’s water,
pigment and paper and I love making simple shapes and shadows with it. I learn something new every
time I paint with watercolor.
I’ve always been an avid amateur photographer with a special interest in trains and aircraft. The images I’ve submitted were taken during two different photo charters: one at the TVRM in Chattanooga, Tn., and the other at the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad in Cumberland, Md.
I retired from Norfolk Southern Corp. in 2012 with 38 ½ years service. I hired in with Southern RR in Chattanooga and worked 22 years there. When the work was moved from there to Roanoke in 1997, I followed the work and have lived in the area since, finishing out my service at Roanoke Locomotive Shops.
My brother and I used to watch trains on the B and O railroad from the porch of a friends house in
Garrett Park Maryland. I admired the dining cars and roomettes on passenger trains and dreamed of
traveling to Chicago. My brother knew all the rail lines, their locations, recognizing the freight cars as
well as passenger cars. He loved trains. He grew up to become an industrial engineer, working on the
New York Central, the Penn Central and the Metro North Commuter Railroad. He realized his train
dream. When I photograph trains, I do it in his memory.
My brother and I used to watch trains on the B and O railroad from the porch of a friends house in
Garrett Park Maryland. I admired the dining cars and roomettes on passenger trains and dreamed of
traveling to Chicago. My brother knew all the rail lines, their locations, recognizing the freight cars as
well as passenger cars. He loved trains. He grew up to become an industrial engineer, working on the
New York Central, the Penn Central and the Metro North Commuter Railroad. He realized his train
dream. When I photograph trains, I do it in his memory.
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