Dale: How did I get to now?

I have always loved to paint and spent many hours as a young boy painting sailing ships.  Growing up in Southern California I spent my summers sailing the bay around Newport Beach and sailing with the Sea Scouts (a division of BSA).  My interests were painting, boats and history.

I was pleased to receive a scholarship to attend Art Center School of Design now located in Pasadena CA where I learned my craft.  After college I was an illustrator for McDonald Douglas (now Boeing) and found myself reading more & more about the Civil War period.  While working for McDonald Douglas, I met Anne who was a flight attendant.  We were married in 1969 in Long Beach, CA.  When her father gave me a subscription to Civil War Times I contacted them to see if they needed any historical illustration – which they did so I supplied them with art for their articles.  When a friend asked me to paint a Civil War scene as a gift for her husband, I began this journey of creating historical stories on canvas.  I decided to print one of my first Civil War paintings, Confederate Autumn, as a reproduction. The year was 1980!   I found that the prints sold well and so I continued to paint while still in CA.

In 1984 Anne & our three young sons moved from Laguna, CA to Gettysburg.  We built a gallery at 9 Steinwehr Ave. and for over 25 years enjoyed meeting customers there. Currently, Anne is still running the business online and I am painting several private Civil War commissions.  I also paint nautical pieces as well so I am combining my boyhood interests of painting, boats & history.

So now, over 35 years later, our three sons are grown & I am still living here in Gettysburg where I have enjoyed being surrounded by its history.   I am most fortunate to have a loyal following who appreciates the historical images I create.  I plan to continue to release at least two images each year.