About Vincent

Howdy! - this is a proper greeting in my home state of Wyoming. I excelled at drawing from an early age. I would draw still life subjects on typing paper with colored pencils as a Mother’s Day gift instead of buying something forgettable. It seemed more meaningful, and it turns out my Mom kept those drawings in her "treasure" chest until her death in 2008. I was commissioned by my employer, The Hitching Post Inn, in my late teens to design a Christmas card, which they used to send out to State Legislators and other VIPs as their hotel was the lodging of choice for 90% of them during state legislator sessions. I won several awards at county fairs for my drawings and paintings.

My art career was delayed while I was fighting inner demons and drinking myself into oblivion. I ultimately surrendered my life to Jesus and joined a twelve-step recovery program and have been sober since June 15th of 1983. Today I want to be addicted to drawing and painting. In my other twelve step recovery program this is what I would classify as an "outer circle" activity. I believe it is harmful to neglect those activities and hobbies that 're-create' my spirit.

How does one explain a lifetime of choices to work, go to school, be a husband, raise kids, paint and draw part-time, endure various job layoffs, change day-job careers, paint and draw part-time, suffer loss, financial set-backs, contemplate ending it all, survive a near divorce, get counseling, paint and draw part-time, look at a finished piece and say to myself "hey, that's kind of amazing!" Then paint or draw something and think "I will never be a paid artist, let alone a full-time artist", and then I hear the voice of God say, "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." ~ 1 Peter 4:10 . . . ahhh I am going to be ok.

So I want my art to serve others in His name. When we look at a stunning sunset the artist doesn't need to sign it - everyone knows who He is. I think it is His way of giving us a hug after a hard day. Everything in your day could have been difficult, but you could then be greeted with a stunning sunset. I say enjoy it. That may be the only good thing all-day, and it was awesome!

I chose "Art To Brighten Up The Place" because I have lived through dark days and I am on the other side of all that. I want my art to somehow make your day a little better.

Now sharing a few memories:

Back in 2005 I think

Me and my wife in love on vacation

My kids at Knotts Berry Farm in 1998 - when we were poor, and everything was perfect