HAZE

I was born in Sun Valley, Idaho, surrounded by mountains, open spaces, dirt roads, and a little bit of cowboy culture. It's a place that stays with you. I started out as a small-town kid with a big imagination, eventually trading mountain roads for city streets to see what else the world had in store.

I went to college, found my way into art school, and eventually landed in the advertising world. What started as a creative career turned into more than 20 years of agencies, freelance adventures, brand building, big ideas, and eventually becoming a Creative Director. I've spent a good part of my life making other people's ideas look good. Building brands, telling stories, solving problems, and occasionally convincing a room full of people that my idea was the right one.

Along the way, I became a husband, a father, and a pretty enthusiastic collector of experiences. I've traveled the world, explored new places, gotten lost on a few back roads, and met some interesting characters. I'm equally happy wandering around a mountain town, exploring a new city, or sitting somewhere watching the world go by.

Painting is where all of that gets mixed together.

I paint the things that catch my eye. A face with character. A cow with an attitude. A roadside shack that probably has a better story than most people. A little village halfway around the world. Sometimes there's a story behind the painting. Sometimes I just like the way something looks. Either way, I'm drawn to bold color, imperfect lines, unexpected details, and things that don't take themselves too seriously.

My background in advertising taught me how to communicate visually. Life has taught me that the best stories usually happen when you aren't looking for them.

These days, I'm less interested in selling an idea in a conference room and more interested in seeing what happens when I put a brush to canvas. No client brief. No creative review. No revisions from the committee.

Just me, some paint, and a slightly questionable idea.

I'm HAZE. A small-town Idaho kid who took the long way around, collected a few stories, and still hasn't figured out what he wants to be when he grows up. I'm just having fun making things. The art should probably do the same.