Career Narrative

My career narrative spans 43 years...

A parallel career as a graphic artist and a fine artist which has been challenging and exciting to say the least. My efforts as a graphic artists took me through brand identity and marketing, financial publication design, broadcast media and set design, food and beverage design.

At the same time I was blessed and awarded opportunities to illustrate, many magazine covers, promotional and marketing publications. On about the mid to late 1980’s I ventured into what I call my exploration into JazzArt. A journey into the manipulation of colors and visuals that made up the numerous visual experimentations in mixed medium of works on paper. I was invited for two consecutive years to have my works displayed in the Washington Post’s (Studio Tours exhibits) This started around 1986 thru 1987. My series was called the rainbow series, works on paper, where I pulled the jazz inspired imagery out of a mix of color washed backgrounds using colored, pencils Gouache, chalks and pastels. I continued off and on with my studies after relocating to the Atlanta area to work in the media, CNN and the Weather Channel.

Somewhere around 2015, I had a break thru after the passing of my biggest art inspiration my mom, Marvine Bradford. I Upheld a promise honoring both parents who introduced me to jazz music throughout my life. My promise was to return to fine art and the gallery scene which was put on a bit of a back burner in my design career.

During the year 2017 my family relocated to Northern California to take advantage of a life style change and leverage the larger creative, jazz and art festival scene in the coastal areas of California. The change of scenery and area color pallets made a major difference in my execution of my work. The color shifts and mediums far all changed since the rainbow series. The growth has been noticeable and welcome, change. I was traveling through the Fairfield mall and stumbled upon the Solano Town Center Gallery. This gallery is funded by and run by the FSVAA Fairfield Suisun Visual Artists Association. So I joined the group and have exhibited in groups shows since 2018. During this period of time I have applied for numerous, artistic, opportunities and exhibits from festivals, reoccurring shows, in our gallery and outside of the gallery groups. Many arts proposals for public art, and personal commissions have allowed me to continue.

I have not acquired any significant grants or major fund allotments to continue my explora-tions, just my own personal, financial commitment has kept me going. In March 2020 I was asked to be the featured artist for the ODD THINGS exhibit which allowed me a full display of about 10- 12 original JAZZART works. I photographed, printed promotional collateral and framed all of the originals in readiness for the March exhibit.

It was delayed due to COVID-19 until June 2020. The virus has taken a toll on so many of us and our families that year. The reopening of the gallery blessed me with two articles in two area newspapers. These articles were a welcome change with a positive impact on my current artistic quest, which exposed me to the area artistic communities.

Articles

Art articles published The Vacaville Reporter 

Daily Republic                                                          

History of Exhibits 

Patterns Solano Town Center Gallery January 14, 2023 

59th Norcal JAS (Honorable Mention Winner) Jan 8, 2023

Group Show The Sugar Hill Gallery, Atlanta, Ga. August 29, 2022 

The Crush Art and Wine Festival September 27, 2022 -

Eddie Knowles portrait /Dedication Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute October 7, 2022

58th Norcal Juried Exhibit Solano Town Center Gallery Nov 5, 2020 -Jan 8, 2022

61st Juried Exhibition at the Haggin Museum Apr 7, 2020 -May 15th, 2022

58th Norcal JAS (Mixed Media Category) Winner Jan 8, 2022

The Crush Art and Wine Festival September 26, 2021

57th Norcal Juried Exhibit Solano Town Center Gallery Nov 5, 2021 

Contemporary Art Projects USA | Virtual Show Dec. 16 – Jan. 31, 2021 

Odd Things things that don’t fit Solano Town Center Gallery Jun 3, 2020 

56th Norcal Juried Exhibit Solano Town Center Gallery Nov 2, 2019 

Local Inspiration Solano Town Center Gallery August 7th- Sept. 15th, 2019 

All About Textures Solano Town Center Gallery April 3rd- May 19, 2019 

First Impressions Lawler House Gallery April 10 - June 9, 2019 -

Private Showings and commissions 2007 - 2015 - 1992 (Atlanta, Ga.) 

Private Showings and commissions 2007 - 2015 - 1992 (Atlanta, Ga.) 

Washington DC, Small Gallery and Group showings 1990 - 1992 (Washington DC Studio Tours) -

Washington DC Artist Association 1977 78