I am a fine artist and university professor. I have been teaching at universities overseas since 2011. Before that, I've worked as a graphic designer in Florida, Georgia, and San Mateo, California.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I will soon be traveling through America, painting American cities and towns. I would like to connect with people who are interested in contributing to the project by offering a place to stay, and if possible, to show me their city or town's cultural and historical sights as well as unique flavors and contributions. Your assistance will be recognized in the catalogue or book accompanying the exhibition. There will be a travel writing element, so this is an opportunity to share yourself with the world and promote your city or town.

Interests

• writing
• painting
• teaching
• travel
• travel writing
• painting and drawing
• teaching english

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: I listen to a lot of classical music, particularly classical soundtracks. But, I enjoy different types of music. I enjoy going through different phases with music, especially while painting: I could listen to Disney music for a day, then Indian classical the next, then heavy metal the next, then ambient science fiction movie themes from the 1950's. I'm particularly interested in the history of classical music, but that doesn't mean I'm in any way knowledgable about it.
Movies: Amadeus (theatrical release not the director's cut), Dawn of the Dead, The Holy Mountain, Bogart movies, Harryhausen movies, Kurosawa movies. Recently, I've been returning to a lot of classic cinema.
Books: Joseph Campbell, Heinrich Zimmer, mythology, Arts & Ideas. I tend to read nonfiction about art, myth, comparative religion, Indian philosophy, history, and whatever interests me at the time. As a teenager, I read a lot of pulp fiction, particularly Burroughs, Lovecraft, Doc Savage, and The Spider novels. Recently, I've started rereading them for fun.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I've celebrated Timkat festival (Ethiopian Epiphany) in Lalibela, Ethiopia and experienced the replica of the Ark of the Covenant being removed from its shrine in Saint Mark's Church for a procession about the town.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Indonesia, Ireland, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates

Countries I’ve Lived In

China, Costa Rica, India, Italy, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka