I was born in the beautiful colonial city of Bogotá, Colombia, and raised in a very diverse suburb of Queens, NY. Eventually transplanted, via the “Span-nificence” of the GWB, onto the welcoming supple lap of the much maligned “Garden State.”
And, now, in these wacky pre-apocalyptic times, I can be found, in spectacular anonymity, dwelling and slinging hash, in the very quaint New Jersey town of Teaneck.

My Art Training Background:
Ever since I was a wee-little-coffee-slurping-Colombian-kid, and could hold a crayon or manage a pencil, I’ve compulsively scrawled, doodled, sketched and drawn. And as a budding child artist, I sought, and received, the timely diaper changes, loving indulgences, boundless encouragement and support of my Mom and Dad. Officially, my very first Art Patrons and critics!

From there on, in my super awkward acne-ravaged tweens and teens, I went on to receive equally important encouragement (minus the diaper changes), from my seventh grade, catholic elementary school teacher, Mrs. St. James. Who upon learning I had some drawing chops, gave me my very first art commission, drawing “The Stations of The Cross,” Although I receive a nice pat in the back, the “oooh-and-aaah” of my pre-pubescent peers, and the promise of more work… I did NOT receive compensation. So this little factoid kind of prepared me for the ensuing struggles of life as an artist. (The peeved, 10 yr. old me did scrawl out an invoice for $10 bucks, and forward it to my catholic teachers bosses at the Vatican. A letter Boldly and sternly addressed to “His Royal Highness Da Pope” requesting payment for services rendered— Needles to say, I’ve yet to hear from El Poopie-head).

Then came high school, where I received the stern, yet patient, and kind mentorship of Vice Principal/Art Teacher, Mr. Saul Kaplan. (A fine artist, and cartoonist in his own right) It was Mr. Kaplan who kindly pointed me towards an art career, and helped get me into The School of Visual Arts. (Although first encouraging and insisting I attend Saturday Commercial Art courses at The Parsons School of Design, which I dutifully did. Thank you much, Mr. Kaplan, for that part too)
Ah yes, SVA, where I had the absolute privilege of being in the classrooms of amazing talented instructors, the likes of: The amazing Harvey Kurtzman (and his trusted talented assistant, Sarah Downs), Howard Beckerman, Irwin Hasen, Richard Marshall, Nachume Miller, Juan Gonzalez, Sam Viviano and even Gary Panter for a few class sessions, when he filled in for Rick Marshall’s class. All absolute masters of their crafts! (But also very kind, patient and wonderfully giving teachers, professors and mentors).