I was born in Spokane, Washington, and grew up in an old farmhouse along Latah Creek. As a boy, I loved to draw; some of my favorites were tornadoes, volcanoes, deep sea creatures, cacti, and elaborate treehouse forts.

I was diagnosed with depression, anxiety, dyslexia, and ADHD (ADD) early but school was still hard. I struggled with math and reading but always did well in science, art, and PE. After high school, when it came time to choose a career path, I was split on what to do – follow art or follow science? Eventually, I chose the latter specializing in plant science and horticulture.

My enthusiasm for art was reinvigorated in 2015, when I took a remarkable trip to England. One of the arboretums I toured was bursting with beauty, and rich with old gnarled trees which seemed to speak to me. Unable to put what I experienced on my trip behind me, I quit my job the following year and went back to art school.

After one year in Santa Fe, NM, trying to figure out what I wanted in an art education, I moved to Fort Worth, TX and found myself working in the studio of Ron Cheek, a brilliant still life and figure painter. Ron's method of working was completely at odds from everything, every art teacher had ever tried to teach me. Creating a work of art was about patience, self control, focus, and intimately understanding the mediums. From 9 to 4, Monday through Friday, along with several other students, we would paint and draw from life, visit the museums, and attend workshops together.

In 2020 the academy closed with the outbreak of COVID-19 and I decided to move back to Spokane.

When I'm not painting or thinking about painting, I'm probably tinkering with plant propagation and growing my apple tree nursery:
www.adamsappletreenursery.com