I was born in Austin, Texas 40+ years ago.
I remember drawing all the time as a little boy.
Every Sunday I would draw on the back
of the church bulletin, during the sermon,
with those tiny little pencils you find in the pews.
As I got older, I experimented with charcoal.
But while in High School, I found an old paint box in the
attic, that I later found to have belonged to my mother.
That's when I discovered my passion for oils.
My girlfriend, Carolyn, died of cancer in 1974.
That was the first time anyone I loved had died. Her death
affected me profoundly. "Depression" penetrated my life.
I attempted suicide many times over the next decade.
I was fortunate enough to visit France in 1975.
I went to the Louvre and many of the Palaces and Cathedrals.
This trip had a tremendous impact on my artistic psyche.
I won a full tuition scholarship to the Art Institute of Pittsburgh
the same year I graduated from High School in Northern Virginia.
I "came out" while attending Art School in Pgh. and had a wild time!
I came back home in '79 and was ordained as a minister in the
Universal Life Church. I never did anything with it, though,
and that didn't make my mother very happy!
I worked as a graphic artist until she died in 1984.
So I quit my job and went to visit my sponsor child
in Brazil. I was so moved by the contrast
between the incredible beauty and the extreme poverty
that I felt called to devote my life to the service of God.
I entered the Franciscan Monastery in Northeast Washington
the next year.
While a Friar, I was allowed to attend the Catholic
University of America in order to pursue an art degree.
I also started restoring the artwork in the shrines and catacombs
there. I left my Franciscan family in 1989 to follow my dream
of being an artist. My sister died that same year.
I graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor's degree in
Studio Art (minors in Religion and Anthropology) in 1991.
I am still the only art major to have been awarded
a Magi Scholarship from C.U.A.
I am currently a member of the Triangle Artists Group (T.A.G.)
and have had two solos show in the District.
I live on a farm in the Shendoah Valley with my partner of almost 18 years.
We have two wonderful dogs!
I'm raising Pygmy goats now, too!
I still battle with bipolar disorder (manic-depression), but I don't think of suicide anymore.
I draw, paint, sculpt and write poetry as often as I am able. I used to consider
myself to be primarily a figurative painter. Now, I draw on my background and life experiences
in order to paint whatever I feel truly passionate about. All my paintings have a story to tell
and my subjects cause the viewer to ponder just what they have to "say".
But I leave it up to the individual to discover whatever that might be.
I have been a vegetarian for years now. I have never wanted to hurt another sentient being,
but by being a carnivore... I did.
Now, I hope to further my good karma (and decrease my bad) by showing compassion
and lovingkindness to all the creatures of the earth.
I joined Weight Watchers® in 2004 and 2007. I've dropped 58 pounds... 40 of it on WW!
Now I work for them.
I recommend them to anyone who really wants to shed those extra pounds
for their health (like I did) or just for peace of mind. It works!
Check out my FaceBook page if you'd like.
Which Superhero are you?
My results:
I am Green Lantern
|
You have strong will power and a good imagination.  |
Email me with feedback at: dgregdenton@geocities.com
All rights reserved to photos and prose on this page.
They may not be copied in any form without express permission of the artist.
Please come back soon and visit me again.
Home | My Art | Black & White Art | My Poetry | My Drawings | MORE Drawings
My Trip to France | My Photo Album | My Spiritual Page | My Journal | My Mother | My Sister
My Trip to Brazil | My Life as a Friar | Depression | Carolyn | My Trip to Boston
Diason wrote this poem for me after reading about my:
"Life"
How wonderful through all your pain,
You found ways to learn and gain,
To express yourself so openly,
And let your inner self go free.
Not many of us are so inclined,
Some suffer from a shallow mind,
And only see the exterior things,
And not the joy that freedom brings.
© Diason '98
This is the new poem Diason wrote for me:
Your words are windows to your soul,
To the nightmare world within,
A darkened, cold and lonely place,
Where no sunlight filters in,
And yet I sense a strength in you,
That's beyond mere mortals' minds,
A knowledge and understanding,
That transcends our space and time,
An acceptance of the bitterness,
That often life has wrought,
An understanding beyond your years,
From the lessons life has taught.
A beauty there for all to see,
If they only take the time,
A deep and loyal friend to all,
And I'm proud to call you mine.
© Diason '98
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