…here I come – AGAIN.  For the past few days I have been attending the Southeastern Professional Photographers Association conference in Athens, Georgia.  SEPPA is a convention that brings together ten southeastern state (& Puerto Rico) photographers associations.  Part of the convention is a juried print competition.  In the competition I hung “four for four” portraits which clears the way for me to named International Photographer of the Year.  This will be “official” at the annual convention of the Professional Photographers of America in Nashville in January.

One of the four images was a watercolor commission for Dr. Kathleen Skelly of her daughter.  You have seen this portrait in Strasburg Children in Oglethorpe Mall in Savannah.  This portrait also received first place in children’s portraits at the Georgia PPA convention in September.

The other three images we created in Valletta, Malta, Vatican City, and Pisa, Italy.  Soon you will be able to purchase some of these as new additions to my Healing Art Collection.

  This is a tremendous honor!  Like all of the awards and commissions I receive over the years that get a tremendous amount of press – I remind myself and you that I create masterpieces everyday thanks to you!

When you want a masterpiece I am your artist of choice and that is the most important recognition, award or reward of all!  Even in challenging economic times you continue to invest in my heirloom art of you and your family.  THANK YOU!

Often many of you and my peers ask me why I continue to put myself through the torture of juried art competitions and attend conferences and training workshops.  The answer is simple – YOU EXPECT IT and DESERVE IT.  My slogan is “Experience the Difference”.  I have to work very hard everyday to make sure I live by this because it is not just a catchy slogan it is my way of life.  Staying up with trends and cutting edge technology allows me to stay on top of the industry.  The juried competitions allow me to prove to myself, my competitors and more importantly YOU that I can “hang” with the best in our industry.  Photography and art is a very fluid industry.  It is truly a GROW OR DIE business.

Being the best in any profession takes commitment, dedication and lots of hard work.  Photography is no different.  When you commission me again or for the first time – you should expect no less.

Thank you for selecting me to be your families portrait artist!