About Machine Embroidery Art

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My superhero fan art career began when I was just six years old. My early attempts drew inspiration from my older brother’s comic book collection, which prominently featured Iron Man. My parents nurtured my budding artistic skills, ensuring that our northern Wisconsin community always had school supplies available year-round. With a steady supply of wire-bound lined notebooks and number two pencils, I was encouraged to express my creativity whenever I needed to.  

A few years later, my first real art supplies came into my life when a family friend (Hi, Brenda!) recognized my passion and told my brother, “This kid needs a sketchbook.” That December, she gifted me my very first sketchbook, along with colored pencils and a kneaded eraser.  

I often found inspiration in comic books, occasionally sketching people or wildlife familiar to our surroundings. Spiderman quickly became my favorite character – who could resist a witty web slinger who was also the unassuming Peter Parker? His clever quips and triumphs over villains filled my sketchbooks. In high school, I received a Nintendo entertainment system and my own 17-inch color television, solidifying my love for video games and superheroes.  

After moving to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, I attended the University of Oshkosh, earning a degree in Graphic Arts and a minor in Fine Arts. However, as life drew me into family responsibilities, sketching took a backseat while I juggled kids’ activities and soccer games.  

In 2015, I rediscovered my passion for drawing. Life had taken me on various detours, but with my kids now in high school, I found time to reignite my creativity. I picked up some conte crayons and a new sketchbook, rekindling my love for creating fan art, especially of superheroes.  

Today, I live outside of Oshkosh with my wife Stacie. We’ve merged our families into a wonderfully nerdy group that enjoys everything from niche literature and British television to the same pop culture icons of my youth, which continue to inspire new generations of Spidey fans. My art not only reflects my interests but also those of two daughters, two stepchildren, a pair of sons-in-law, and two grandchildren.  

In addition to my fan art, I employ graphic design techniques to create files for my machine embroidery projects. With 18 years in the embroidery industry as part of my 25+ year career, I cherish the process of blending traditional art techniques with modern methods for this body of work. My artistic community includes linoleum print makers, oil painters, and fiber artists specializing in hand-stitched embroidery, knitting, and quilting.  

Spider-Man remains my favorite character. He chose not to hide his powers and instead embraced his role as the protector of Queens. Uncle Ben and Aunt May instilled in him the importance of being responsible with the gifts he received at birth. To Peter, the bite from a radioactive spider was just another talent to improve the world. Now that I'm closer to Uncle Ben’s age, I find myself inspired by Peter’s journey and aspire to share my talents to make a positive impact. While you won't see me slinging webs or flying across the Oshkosh skyline, I create art that embodies the dreams and aspirations we hold onto as we grow.  

Thanks for being here.