CURRENT MISSION

Work with my hands making art, growing plants, and being a First Resonder

ABOUT ME

Adventurous, Soft-spoken, Adrenalin junkie, Socially conscious, Physically active.

PHILOSOPHY

Below is an abridged version of my artist statement which can segue into my approach to life: I build objects with a history. The road signs I collected after Hurricane Katrina are weathered and bent telling a story of their life on the streets. The burnt seat frames salvaged from cars torched in and around New Orleans become a mysterious tale told by the charred steel. In turn the objects I make become narratives of the struggles faced after the storm and the rebirth that ensued.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I'm the owner of Skimmer Studio. I design and fabricate ecologically accountable objects. My wife and I are heavily involved in our community. After Hurricane Katrina we started and lead a neighborhood garden. I serve my area as a professional Firefighter/EMT. Jeanne, my wife, is studying to be a Family Practice Doctor.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I'm new to CouchSurfing. Although, I've been a host and traveler with an organization called SERVAS since 1993. It was founded in the 1960's to promote peace keeping and cultural exchange through travel. I'm an active member of SERVAS and look forward to branching out to CouchSurfing.

Interests

I'm a New Orleans Firefighter and Owner of Skimmer Studio (art & design). I started a community garden on my block after Hurricane Katrina. My life revolves around my family, my community, and my art. I'm an active person who loves to cycle and run. My holiday time is usually spent road tripping on my motorcycle or my veg powered truck.

• arts
• design
• running
• gardening
• traveling
• cars
• cycling
• emergency services
• history
• medicine

Music, Movies, and Books

I love reading: non-fiction: food politics, ecology, indiginous people's social history are of particular interest. Otherwise still working on a big list of classic fiction.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Working in Kobe, Japan for a year after an earthquake hit the Kansai region. Spending 2 weeks on the water during Hurricane Katrina performing search and rescue. Everyday is an adventure being a Firefighter/EMT in the Big Easy.

Countries I’ve Visited

Antigua and Barbuda, Canada, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Greece, Guam, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lesotho, Mexico, Mozambique, Poland, Russian Federation, South Africa, Swaziland, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

India, Japan, Switzerland, United States