Drawing was my passion early in life, much to my mother's dismay after I decorated the walls of my bedroom with cars and trucks in black marker. In grammar school however, it became painful to write or draw for any length of time. I"m not sure if the lengthy handwriting drills under the careful watch of ruler bearing nuns had anything to do with it, but I stopped drawing for a number of years. Many years later I was diagnosed with early onset fibromyalgia.
In high school I began searching for an art form that didn't require digital skills. Photography was a logical first choice. I could express myself without much pain being involved in the process. Clicking a shutter isn't too physically diffiucult and neither waas darkroom work. Photography, however, was really my dad's thing, so I felt the need to rebel a little and choose something a bit different. There was a rumour that the high school was going to offer a film class my senior year.
A brand new Ektagraphic Super 8mm movie camera was a Christmas present from my parents that year. It was one of Kodak's most advanced Professional models. This was my first artist tool beyond the pencil and crayon. Movie making was fascinating to me, especially animations, and this 8mm camera would allow me to explore those mediums. I made a few short movies with friends as actors and explored some animation techniques. I decided to pursue film making at the Rochester Institute of Technology.
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