"Paint him a picture," she said.

"I haven't painted in 30 years," I said.

She said, "so what, paint him a picture!"

So, I did. My oldest son was getting married and instead of cash or a gift off their wedding registry, I painted again after thirty years.

So much life had happened before I became a professional painter -- careers, marriage(s), kids, graduate school, lots of job changes, and countless people – life’s experience has given me a rich foundation on which to create.

My art career was planted at the University of South Dakota where I studied fine art photography and graphic design. From there I embarked on my first career in advertising. Twenty-five years later, I became a Business Professor.

I began painting professionally in 2016 while still teaching. As a painter, I have completed dozens of commissions and have produced hundreds of paintings from representational to abstract.

My original paintings and photographs capture simple elements of God’s masterpiece as seen through one man's eye.

I create abstracts and landscapes with color and shapes to push your imagination to see God's greatness.

~J.Elias