Today I’m a Designated Coast Guard Artist, an avid sailor, and a person who is in continual awe of the beauty in the world around me.


I was born in Southern Oregon, and had the unique experience of growing up in one of the most rugged and remote areas in the state. My father was in heavy construction and helping to open up the wilderness areas for electric power generation. When I was about 6 months old we moved to Toketee Falls, a tiny community at the confluence of the North Umpqua and Clearwater Rivers. We were about 65 miles from the closest town, and that trip was over primitive, and often-impassable roads. For my mother and father, the times were challenging, yet our little family thrived. For myself, it was a wonderful time of adventure that instilled in me a lifelong love of the outdoors. We had two rivers at our doorstep, both teeming with hungry native trout, a reservoir at the very edge of our yard that contained huge German Brown trout, and the sounds of geese and eagles frequently overhead. The surrounding mountains were covered with virgin timber, and home to all sorts of wildlife including deer, elk, bear, and all sorts of smaller creatures. As a bonus, the mountains on all sides also contained caves, some with petroglyphs and other traces of their earlier Native American inhabitants.

Living in that wilderness area helped form my love of the outdoors which influences my art on an ongoing basis. As a bonus, I also grew up in a house with the smell of oil paints, first hand art instruction and ready access to supplies of all sorts. Both my mother, June Mapel, and my grandmother, Viola Moore, were accomplished oil painters, so from an early age I was able to watch them paint, and get one-on-one instruction. Although my grandmother is now gone, my mother is still doing beautiful work, and still passing on her painting tips to me. Similarly, my grandfather, Earl Moore, showed me the way to create in concrete and in wood, while all the time helping me to understand Native American-type closeness with the earth, and the intertwining beauty of wildlife and nature. In addition, my father, Charlie Mapel, provided the opportunity to learn sculpture via access to his metal and woodworking tools, his shop, and raw materials. He also instilled in me his belief that there are no limits to what a person with tools, materials, and a vision can achieve.

I always wanted to be an artist, and by the time I was in high school, I had won a national gold medal in scholastic arts competition. However, as sometimes happens, other obligations of family, military, and career took precedence. As a high school senior, I was offered a full-ride bank scholarship. At the same time, the Vietnam conflict was expanding, so I enlisted in the Marine Corps. After spending time in Vietnam as a scout and interpreter, I returned to my home state of Oregon, obtained my business degree at Southern Oregon University, and afterwards, spent 30 successful years in bank administration. Although banking was my primary career, during these years my love for art continued, and my creativity was expressed during non-banking hours with oils, scratchboard, and bronze sculpture.

Over the years, in addition to ongoing family instruction and college art classes, I sought out specific art classes, lectures, and workshops from professionals such as Earl Daniels, E. John Robinson, Dale German, Liz Lasneski, Robert Bateman, Carl Brenders, and others.

Recently, my wife, Judi, and I relocated to the beautiful shores to the Puget Sound in Washington State. Here we have a wonderful place for my studio, access to a large and viable art community, and exposure to endless art reference. As we look over the Sound, we are treated to ever-changing water and sky, and wildlife of all sorts, including eagles nesting in the huge firs near the water. Boats pass in front of our house, and reflections continually dance across the water. It's hard not to be inspired in such a beautiful location.

Primarily I do oils, with a marine focus, and I also enjoy bronze sculpture. My work continues to be influenced by my upbringing in the rugged mountains of Oregon, and by time spent sailing, whitewater rafting, and exploring high mountain trails and ocean shorelines. My creativity is spurred on by my ongoing appreciation of the natural beauty of the northwest, by my love of the sea, and by the never-ending support of my wife, Judi.

Membership in art associations includes PAL (Peninsula Art League), ASMA (American Association of Marine Artists), Sitka Association, ISMP (International Society of Marine Painters), and Designated Coast Guard Artist Program.

These are exciting times, as a lifelong art dream becomes reality!
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