Born of immigrants from Antwerp Belgium. (Ne de la Belgique immigrants d'Anvers) Retired from the New York Life Insurance Company and NYLIFE Securities : His art has encompassed through the years Landscapes, Seascapes, Fresco's Murals,. Portraits, All mediums.
In youth adventured as a Merchant Seaman; served 4 years in 1st Reconnaissance, (Special Troops) Big Red One, Army of the United States. Studied under GI Bill at NY U college of Art & Science Greenwich Village, NYC. Married in Germany. Four decades later widower in Florida. (tel est la vie.)
Refused to become an illustrator for Commercial art as he would only paint what motivated him directly. Never what someone told him to paint.
In order to subsidize his income raising a family he became a successful New York Life Agent, in helping families and small businesses survive in their time of need.
Often found meditating among Nature appearing seemingly lost in a different world, poetry came to him and he would write on his sketch pad always by his side, as if invisible spirits were dictating the words.
As a Deist along the lines of Thomas Paine and many of America's Founding Fathers he tolerates all Revealed Religions believing none and attends mostly Catholic Celebrations, which is the religion he had been baptized by as an infant. To him they are the largest and best set up to deliver aid to the victims of Natural Disasters in an altruist manner.
Perhaps one day the world will realize the hate these religions can not help but embody each thinking the deity is speaking to them alone because only they are the chosen or adopted that have the correct word brought by an angel or a dream or as Moses Face to Face or a rock that will gain a mouth and eyes revealing the evil ones to the deity at the end time when all must tally up.
To this Artist Wisdom is not Fear of the Lord; but mutual Love.
Note: Mr. Al has recently published a Delightful Picture Book showing some of his Paintings and Poetry Plus a musical composition. It is Titled Reflections of an Artist and a Poet. You can purchase on line with Amazon.
He is working on two more books. One a comedy titled Irving almost ready, and another titled The Birth of Religion.
These titles could change when published.
