In high school, still in Virginia, I showed all the promise of becoming a successful artist, winning awards at little shows and even exhibiting my work at a gallery in Alexandria. No angels though, mostly musicians, Mick Jagger, imagine, if you know me today, you'd get the joke since I no longer, what, care for him. Interestingly enough, I was painting on masonite panels that I cut and braced myself; this is now again my chosen format, except these days I buy my panels already mounted and primed with gesso. The lazy way out, unless I'm in a working-on-paper mode; then things can get complicated and messy, which I always find really appealing.