I recently graduated from the University of North Texas with a degree in Painting and drawing, but my involvement with the arts began long before my college career. I've been drawing for as long as I can remember, back to my early years in El Paso, Texas when my mother would buy me sketchbooks to keep me away from the walls. My quest to create was greatly encouraged by my parents, Laura Paige-Scott and Col. James E. Paige, and my older sister Kai. Thanks to them, I was exposed to youth organizations such as ACT-SO, which held annual art competitions. One of the best aspects of these competitions was seeing the works produced by other people in my age group. It really taught me about the world of competing especially once the paintings were done and I was standing at the event with the other nervous competitors. This helped me to push my mental limit and imposed upon me higher goals for my own art.

I moved to Arlington Texas, in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex around age 10. I kept up my interest in the arts, but discovered a love for football, wrestling, and track. Later I became interested in hockey and Formula One racing. One of the best things about sports is the way things are continuously developing, something that I strive to mirror in my paintings. I like that there isn't a set story line, but rather a perpetually changing atmosphere. When I begin a painting, I never really know what I'm going to end up with. Each stroke of the paintbrush leads to the next level. I've found that this encourages a lot of movement in my finished work, where I have created multiple eye paths for the viewer.

College was a very important time for me to polish my skills as a painter, and learn to see my subjects in a different light. One professor in particular, Robert Jessup, www.robertjessup.com was particularly helpful to me. Near the end of my college career, I had the opportunity to study the Renaissance period in its birthplace of Italy. I saw firsthand great works by the masters Michelangelo and Donatello. This really appealed to my analytical side, though my passionate side appears more readily in my own art.