My beginnings as an Asian styled artist started when I was the Head of the Humanities Department at a private school where I experienced a group of highly creative students. One day a group of them came to me asking me if I would join Mr. Kissling, our philosophy teacher, in a Zen unit of study; I was to teach Sumi-e. However, this subject in college was quite difficult for me, so I had to search for a teacher who would instruct me. If I did not know how to use the bamboo brush properly, I was not going to try to teach these students. Thus, my interest in brush movement was motivated and this led to teachers in Princeton, New Jersey, and in New York City. From there I went on to graduate studies at Rutgers University and a special calligraphy studies with Professor Wen Fong at Princeton, University. When I was given a unique opportunity to go to Japan for two years as a representative teacher for our Sister State Program in Maryland, I was able to start serious calligraphy studies under Master Toseiki Sajiji in Yokohama. It is under him that I was introduced to creative writing of Chinese characters, The picture of the character Hana” has won me two awards, one in Yokohama and one at the Japanese Center in Montreal, Canada. I love working with the brush and seeing what kinds of compositions I can make with characters. It brings me much happiness.