Growing up as the youngest of four boys in a farm family in rural South Dakota, I experienced childhood a little different from most. We raised our own animals and grew our own food to eat. Growing up in rural South Dakota, I would leave the house during the day to go out adventuring climbing the structures of surrounding farm buildings, trekking across the open field, and climbing around the shelter belts (trees).
As a child, I maintained a golden tan almost year round, a result of logging many hours outside. However, there was one specific reason I would stay indoors sometimes. The reason was a result of my mother being a librarian. When I wasn’t outside, I was devouring page after page of fantastical stories depicting mysterious foreign lands, strange cultures, mythical beasts, and magic.
In between books, I would be enacting out my own stories outside. I built wooden swords and shields to protect damsels in distress, I had staffs that contained powerful magic, and I would build royal palaces in the trees.
EVERY CHILD IS AN ARTIST. THE PROBLEM IS HOW TO REMAIN AN ARTIST ONCE HE GROWS UP.”
~PABLO PICASSO
My childhood was spent dreaming up surreal dreams that were vibrant, reverberating with energy, and most of all mine. I realized that there was a whole other world to explore inside my mind. Although the formal education system attempted to flat iron the child out of me, thankfully, the child survived. The ability to experience the world as a child does, in wonder and always curious, allows me to shake loose the shackles of conventional thought and perspective. The result of this is providing exceptional creativity for my clientele.
It is my pleasure to serve you creatively.
With a smile and warm regards,
Russell