I grew up in a trailer park on the edge of Lansing, Michigan. It was there, in my early twenties, where I started to paint and make original art for the first time. I began painting family members while studying the old masters and teaching myself the nuances of oil painting. I spent more and more time creating art until I was working full-time, seven days a week. I have always felt like it was very important to create art.
My first big showing was a painting of my great grandfather, a tugboat captain on the lakes, that I submitted into the first ArtPrize. There I met the great American realist painter, Paul Collins. He told me that I reminded him of a younger Paul Collins and began to mentor me in the arts. We found a commonality in our work ethic and subject matter. I became his apprentice and I think I will always be his apprentice, studying his work throughout my life. It is an honor to be able to paint with him, side by side.
In 2016 I created a series of paintings and a short book inspired by the copper miners of Michigan called, "Copper Ghosts." Copper mining is such a huge part of Michigan's history and culture, it's almost become a pilgrimage of sorts for every Michigander to go tour the mines in the U.P. I always admired the hard work and sacrifice of the miners and I felt like it was something that should be seen in the art world. The collection was voted into the top 25 2D category during the first week of ArtPrize.
In 2018, others began to notice what Paul Collins, myself, and the other artist's Paul Collins has helped, were doing. They began to speak about it as a growing art movement. The Paul Collins School of art is a humanitarian art movement in the realist style that celebrates humanity and its history. A group submission by Paul Collins, Randolph Brown, John McDonald, Hubert Massey, and myself was entered into ArtPrize to showcase the movement.
I regularly collaborate with my sister, Liz Goodall, an award-winning costume designer for Meadowbrook Theater. She often designs the clothing that appear in my paintings and advises me on my projects. We have a similar philosophy and work ethic when it comes to art. Her work inspired me to create, "Our Stories on Stage," a series of paintings inspired by the performing arts.
Art can be very powerful. With my work, I try to paint the beauty in humanity. I am dedicated to creating art for the sake of the people, art that tells a story and honors the good things in humanity.
I am really excited for everyone to see my upcoming projects and for everyone to see a wider view of my work.