Fred was born in Port Jervis, New York and grew up in Haven, New York (population 25 on a busy day!) in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains. As a child, Fred loved the mountains, and his affinity for them has never waned. Growing up he spent all of his free time in the woods and was an avid hunter and fisherman.

     After serving four years in the US Navy, Fred married his high school sweetheart, Barbara. In the late 1950's they moved to Melbourne, Florida and raised three children while he made a career in the space and electronics industry. While working full-time, Fred attended college at night and earned both a Bachelors and a Masters degree. He spent any free time sketching and painting.

     After taking early retirement in 1991, Fred returned to his passion of painting. He and Barbara now live in Townsend, Tennessee.

     Fred's feelings for animals and his knowledge of their behavior and habitat is evident in his work. Most notable about Fred's paintings are the use of color and light to portray his subjects. The animals' eyes are enthralling, and each subject speaks directly to the viewer.

     The realism in Fred's paintings is superb.  While striving to capture the inner essence of the animal and scene, and not merely make a "photo rendition" of it, he notes that a wildlife artist must understand subtle differences.  "Did you know," he asks, "that the hair on a cat's nose grows in a different direction than the rest of its fur?" Fred believes strongly that an artist cannot paint effectively what he or she does not know intimately. That's why he spends countless hours doing field work.

     Fred usually spends 10 to 12 hours daily at his easel painting or doing field studies in Cades Cove. He jokes that he's laboring more now than before he retired. He continually improves his art by studying with the great contemporary artists of wildlife painting: Bob Kuhn, Guy Coheleach, John Seerey-Lester, Daniel Smith, Rod Lawrence, Terry Isaac, and, most recently, Carl Brenders.

     Fred states, "I constantly strive to convey the feelings and sights I have experienced in the Cove in my paintings so that others can enjoy its natural beauty, and hopefully, become more concerned with preserving wildlife and their habitat." Spending time in the Cove enables you to observe and, hopefully capture those fleeting "magical moments" that most folks don't get to experience.

     While visiting Cades Cove in The Great Smoky Mountains, look for Fred's maroon Nissan Titan truck crammed full of painting paraphernalia.  Deep in the woods you may see him seated quietly at his easel, sketching or taking reference photos of his subjects and their habitat.

     When Fred exhibits at the Townsend Visitor's Center, one of his greatest pleasures is to see the joy and excitement in the visitors faces as they discuss their vacation in the Smokies and the animals and birds they have seen there.

     Fred notes that, "those of us who are fortunate enough to live here in East Tennessee have a strong emotional attachment to the mountains, wildlife, and environment.  We are indeed fortunate to have the great Smoky Mountains National Park as a national treasure, especially Cades Cove."