Randy's fascination with aviation and art stem from his early childhood, always spending his free moments sketching any available aircraft or landscape at hand. At 16, he worked for the local fixed-base operator at his hometown airport in DeKalb, Illinois, then a former Naval Pilot Training facility. His exposure to the day-to-day operations added further to his skills as an artist, helping maintain and service all manner of civilian and transiting military aircraft (always with sketchbook close at hand). He traded his early illustrations and paintings for 'stick-time' and eventually earned his private pilot's license before his drivers license! In addition to many single engine civilian aircraft, he has piloted hang-gliders, gyrocopters, completed static-line parachute jumps and participated on many missions with the USAF Art Program. 

Randy graduated from Northern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with emphasis in Illustration, Painting & Design. Since 1985, he's worked as a freelance illustrator in Maine and Virginia, basing his work on first-hand observation gained through many hours spent in the air. Among many of his fine art illustrations, Randy recently completed an exhibit design at the Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport (Shepherd Field). His designs and illustrations gracefully interpreted the region's rich aviation history and helped the airport authority put it's priceless heritage on public display. Illustrating historical aviation & military subjects is Randy's hallmark, and it has earned him extensive recognition as a prominent historical artist worldwide.  He currently resides with his family in Northern Virginia.