Raised by strong women, he is one of the more recognized painters from the Southwest, devoting himself primarily to cowboy and female figure painting. He did numerous realistic gouache paintings of contemporary cowboys that reflect his understanding of the men, horses, and landscape of the Southwest. His favorite model, Carol, for his figure work was used in his American Woman series, about uncompromising, fiery spirited, yet feminine western women.

Born in Paris, Missouri, his early inspiration came from summers on his grandparents' Missouri ranch and a trip to the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles.

He moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico in s...