Artist’s Biography & Statement

Since childhood, I have had a vibrant interest in art and creativity. Perhaps my first real affirmation as an artist was when I was given the “most artistic” award in 5th grade. Despite this monumental recognition J, I did not pursue my artistic inclinations until later in life. After graduating with a degree in Marketing from Penn State University in 1989, I began taking sculpting classes in the evening in local community art guilds. This is the only training I have had in sculpture, so you could say that I am a self-taught artist. With the basic skills I was learning about sculpture, and much practice, I began to get commissions for sculptural portraits from people I worked with in the business world.

In 1990, I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ, received His free gift of eternal life, and so began my journey in Christianity. This led me in 1995 to leave full-time corporate employment to pursue a degree at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. While at seminary, I continued to sculpt, enjoying more commission work.

After graduating from seminary, I worked as an ordained pastor at a large church in St. Louis. My drive to sculpt, along with the number of commissions and awards I was receiving for my sculpture, inclined me to resign that pastorate in 2004 so I could work in sculpture full time. Since then, my sculptural interests have broadened from representational human figure sculpture to mixed media and wood wall pieces. Of late, my focus has been on the latter, especially in exploring the unstained, natural beauty of imported exotic woods.

The deepest inspiration for my work is the Person of Christ as He is revealed in the Bible. I strive to create works of material beauty that reflect the immaterial moral and spiritual beauty of Christ. It is my highest thrill and honor when this connection takes place in the heart of someone viewing my work. This transcendent goal can be met in explicitly redemptive-themed works like The Dance or The Hiding Place, or by evoking a clean emotional connection through the form and colors of Snow Falling on Frosty Pines.

How You, Too, Can Receive Jesus Christ for Eternal Life

You may find it strange to see information like this on an artist’s website! Maybe it is a little strange. Let me tell you the beautiful reason why it’s here.

I am a Christian, a person who trusts Jesus Christ for an eternity in heaven, and who endeavors to serve Him in this life with joy. A lot of my artwork reflects this fact. The freedom and joy I have in being a Christian is something I desire for every person in the world to have. If you’d found something amazing, wouldn’t you want to share it with others?! Like millions of other Christians who have received the gift of peace with God through Christ, I want you to experience this, too. By reading this page and taking to heart the truthful words you find here, you can receive that peace! The joy I’d have in knowing you received this peace would far outweigh any sale or accomplishment in sculpture I could ever have. Nothing would make me happier than to see you, the person reading this, experience this same deep and lasting joy.

That being said, please read on to find out from the Bible just how you can receive the gift of eternal life.

Having eternal life is the same as saying that you know that your sins are forgiven in Christ and that you will spend eternity in heaven when you die. Not having eternal life means that you will spend eternity in hell, enduring the proper punishment of God for your sins against Him. In a nutshell, this issue of eternal life is extremely important! You could say that eternal life is of eternal importance. Reading this short, Bible-based, simple outline can help you come to the point where you can know for certain that you indeed have eternal life. Please read! This is the most important decision you will ever make.

To begin with, you must admit that you are a sinner. The Bible states this in many places, including Romans 3:23, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Being sinful basically means that you do not always obey God’s commands. Certainly, if you think about it for a minute, you’ll realize that you are sinful (as all people are). Just consider God’s command not to think any maliciously angry thought toward another person (Matthew 5:22). Or, consider God’s command to worship Him and serve Him only, all the time, in all the things you do (Exodus 20:3-6). If, after thinking about this you still do not see that you are a sinner, just ask someone who knows you well what they think. Even if they love you, if they’re honest, they’ll have to admit that you have done some bad/evil things in your life. Do you see that you are a sinner?

Next, you must realize that the one, true God of the Bible is holy and just and therefore must punish sin. Exodus 34:7 says, “…He will in no way leave the guilty unpunished.” In this sense, God is a judge. And just like any state or federal civil judge, He’d be unjust and crooked if He didn’t punish sin. It’s a dishonest judge that ignores a crime. But God is not a dishonest judge. He does not ignore any sin, nor will He leave any sin unpunished. Ezekiel 18:4 says, “For every living soul belongs to Me, the father as well as the son-- both alike belong to Me. The soul who sins is the one who will die.” The punishment for sin against the eternal God is eternal death, as it says in Romans 3:23 “the wages of sin is death.” As a sinner, you are in a terrible position! Unless God provides a way of escape, you’re certain to face an eternal spiritual death.

Now you may ask, “what if I resolve to do good things from now on?” or “doesn’t trying to do good count?” The Bible has something to say about that in Isaiah 64:6, “For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; and all of us wither like a leaf, and our sins, like the wind, take us away.” In addition, Romans 3:28 says that no one is saved by their good works. The bottom line is that you can not save yourself from the just penalty for your sins. God must do it for you.

The third thing you must do is trust that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sin. The good news is that the Bible tells us that God did do the work of your salvation for you! He did it by sending His perfect Son, Jesus Christ, to earth. Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty you deserved for sinning against God. In simple language, God punished His own son on the cross in your place. You, a sinner, deserved that death. Jesus was your substitute. He endured your punishment for you. This is absolutely amazing, isn’t it? This fact is confirmed in many places in the Bible:

• “We are saved as a gift of God’s grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God displayed as the One who would take our punishment for us in His blood (by crucifixion).” Romans 3:24-25
• “God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
• “The Lord Jesus Christ gave Himself as payment for our sins so that He might rescue us….” Galatians 1:3-4

Just knowing that Jesus died on the cross for your sins is not enough to receive eternal life. You have to rely upon this fact, trust it, have confidence in it. You have to say that you are not going to trust in your own good deeds, or anything else to get you into heaven. Forsaking all other options (there are no other legitimate options, anyway), you must rely upon the work Jesus did on the cross in your place to get you into heaven. You must believe that Jesus took your place and that He paid the penalty you deserved for your sin. Doing this is what the Bible calls “living, or being saved by faith,” as you can read for yourself here:

• “You will have eternal life by faith (in Jesus Christ).” Romans 1:17
• “We receive the promise of the Spirit (i.e. of eternal life) by faith.” Galatians 3:14
• “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this salvation is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of your good deeds, so that no one may boast.” Philippians 2:8-9

The Bible says that there is no other way to be certain that you are going to heaven except by trusting in the work of Jesus Christ for you. [Which, incidentally, is amazing – that God would provide any way for us to have peace with Him when no one deserves it!] Jesus Himself said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.” Put your trust in Jesus Christ for eternal life and rest assured that you are going to heaven. Here is a simple prayer that will help you tell God that you want to trust Jesus and receive the gift of eternal life. Prayer is simply having a conversation with God. You can pray anywhere at anytime and God will hear you. The prayer itself is not magical. You have to pray it and mean it from your heart. It’s what’s going on in your heart as you pray these words that’s important.

“Jesus Christ, I admit that I am a sinner and can not by any of my good deeds earn eternal life. I believe that my sins deserve Your punishment because You are a holy judge. I believeYou died on the cross to pay the punishment I deserve for my sins. I am confident in these facts and as best I know how, rely upon them for my eternal life. Please enter my heart now, forgive my many sins, and give me the gift of eternal life. Thank you, Jesus, for dying for my sins and giving me the free gift of eternal life. Amen.”

If you just prayed this prayer from your heart, then you have received the gift of eternal life! That’s wonderful! Jesus said in John 6:47, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.”

Now it is important for you to begin growing in your relationship with Jesus, the One who died to pay the penalty for your sins. Growing in Jesus will give you greater joy and confidence in what you have just prayed. I won’t make Jesus love you more – He already loves you by His grace and mercy alone. Growing in Him simply helps you unpack and experience that love more. You can grow in many ways. Here are a few suggestions:

• Begin reading your Bible. If you don’t have one, go buy one that’s easily readable. Start with the book of John, which is in the New Testament. As you read, you’ll see lots of what you’ve read above confirmed. Also as you read, read to get to know Jesus better.
• Attend a church where the Bible is taught and where the people love, honor, and serve Jesus and each other.
• Continue talking with God. This is called prayer. Tell Him what’s on your mind and heart and listen for His voice which can come to your mind reminding you of God’s truths in the Bible.
• There are many good books written to help you understand more about what you’ve prayed and who Jesus is. Find a good Christian bookstore and tell the manager that you are a new Christian. Ask him/her for a book or two, besides the Bible, that will help you grow. Make sure any books you buy are based on what the Bible teaches.

Please email me if you just received Jesus Christ for eternal life. I'd love to know about it, rejoice with you, and encourage you.