About me

Research

My research is primarily focused on exploring the meaning behind our mediated modern lives through the technology that increasingly defines us. My work uses bleeding-edge tech to explore how we can maintain our humanity and social connections in spite of that same technology.

Life Drawing

Instruction

Background

I've been working in the game industry since about 1998, starting as a “Multimedia Artist” working on CD-ROM titles for Hasbro, Intel, and Disney. Since then, my work has careened wildly across art, animation, programming, and design.

Since 2008 I have been teaching digital art, animation, game design and coding. It's tremendously rewarding. I've taught at the Pacific Northwest College of Art, the Art Institute of Portland, and was Programme Lead (Head of Department) and Senior Lecturer at Massey University in Wellington, New Zealand.

For the last couple of years I've been back in the US, working with Epic Games and House of How Games.

Testimonials

Some non-solicited student testimonials can be found here.

Philosophy

My own academic background is deeply rooted in Liberal Arts. Starting with my schooling at Latymer Upper School in England, and tempered at Reed College in Portland, Oregon, and capped with an MFA from PNCA, my direct experience of education has been broad, rigorous, and holistic. It is my intention to provide that same approach in my own teaching.

The classes I teach cover a wide range of experience, from absolute beginner classes all the way to leading final graduating group projects. I tailor my approach to individual classes and to the students that compromise them. My role as teacher changes: in introductory classes my approach is decidedly sophistic, questioning preconceived notions and ideas, trying to prepare the students to open their minds; in intermediate classes I focus on skillsets and practical knowledge; in the advanced classes, where students have developed a great deal of skill, my approach is trusting and exploratory.

While the majority of the classes I teach are principally technical classes, it is my intention to extend the learning experience beyond the functional knowledge needed. I am able to draw upon my art history background, grounding even the most modern work in a deep historical context; my professional experience as both a programmer and an artist allows me to straddle those disciplines, bringing formal logic to art classes, and a creative flair to programming classes.

Music

I used to play bass for the mighty pirate band for buccaneers of all ages, Captain Bogg & Salty. We were together for about eleven years, playing for kids and adults, at libraries, schools, clubs, trailer parks, and malls.

In all, we released four albums. You can find them on Amazon.com and CDbaby.com.

Albums