Painting Experience
Bud always had a desire to paint since he was a child and finally at age 49, he started taking oil painting lessons from Walfrido Garcia who was only 19 ½ yrs old. After 7 ½ yrs of painting lessons, Walfrido left for Hawaii in 1993 to continue his painting career. Walfrido’s paintings are in over 20 galleries in Hawaii, San Francisco, and East & West Coasts.
Bud continued taking lessons from various artists for the next 2 ½ yrs and started teaching his grandchildren. Since he moved to Livermore in June 1997, he has been painting on his own & has painted over 200+ paintings. In May 1998, he became a volunteer at the Livermore Veterans Nursing Home and assisted the Art Therapist for 1 ½ yrs. After the therapist left, he took over the painting class and then started playing guitar. In May 2004, he stared a new painting class using water-based oil paints run by volunteers.
In addition, he has taught oil painting in his home, since Sept 1998 to people who had life challenges, and then in 1999, he started teaching to the general public (ages 8-60’s)
Bud participates in Art Shows in Livermore, Tracy and Pleasanton. He received merit awards and honorable mentions. He showcases his work along with the VA Veterans at the Livermore Nursing Home each year at the Art under the Oaks in Livermore. He also has painting exhibited at the Livermore City council Chambers and has exhibited at the Livermore Art Walk for the last 11 years. Bud has been a member of the Livermore Art Associated (LAA) for the last 18 yrs, and was Vice President for the LAA for 2003-05.
Bud also taught art at Heritage Estates in Livermore for 6 years. until 2011, & presently teaching at Parkview and Eden Villa Senior Pleasanton facilities for the last 8-9 years.
He received the Jefferson Award for volunteering at the Veterans Nursing Home in May, 2012 and the volunteer of the year 2013 award from the Livermore & Pleasanton Rotary Club.
Bud is convinced that anyone can paint given the opportunity, desire and positive support.
Personal Experience
Bud was born in Johnson City, Ill in March, 1935. His father was a coal miner and died in a coal mining accident on Dec 21, 1941. He then moved to Chicago with his mother and sister to be by his mother’s relatives. Bud attended St. Nicholas Grammar School and Tuley High school in Chicago. He spent two years in College while playing saxophone in 4 bands (from 15 to 20). He joined the Air Force in Jan 1956, completed basic training and Navigation training and was promoted to a 2nd Lt. in Apr 1957.
His next assignment was Lockbourne AFB, Ohio, where he met & married Mary, in Columbus Ohio, June21st, 1958. He was stationed at Lockbourne AFB, Ohio (1957-62) as a Navigator on KC-97’s. Jeannie (1959) and Charles (1961) were born in Columbus, Ohio. Patrick (1964) was born at our next assignment, Harmon AFB, Newfoundland (1962-65) & Bud still navigating on KC-97’s. Bud received his third year by correspondence from the University of Maryland and was next assigned to Park College, Kansas City Missouri where he received his BA in math.
Our next assignment was Castle AFB, as an instructor Navigator KC-135’s (1966-68). We moved to Tucson, Az., where Bud graduated from the University of Arizona (1968-70) with a masters in Math. Joannie was born in Tucson in 1968. After graduating from U of A, a letter arrived deploying Bud back to Lockbourne AFB, for 6 month training in the AC-119 Gunship. Bud left or Da Nang Base, Vietnam, AC-119 Gunships (7 months) and Thailand NKB Base (5 months), AC-119 Gunships). Bud flew 150 combat missions, awarded 3 distinguished Flying Crosses and 10 Air Medals. Our final Air Force tour was Langley AFB, VA (1972-1978) where Bud headed a Tactical Air Control System computer software squadron. He retired in Aug 1978 as a Lt/Col.
In Sept 1978, he joined Lockheed as a Systems Engineer and worked on two Program, PLSS (5 ½ yrs) and MILSTAR, a communication Satellite for the last 13 ½ yrs. He retired in July 1997 and moved to Livermore, CA.
Bud and Mary have volunteered at the Livermore Veteran’s Hospital and Nursing Home for the last 16 yrs. He substitutes in a 16 piece practice band in Livermore playing his alto or Tenor Saxophone for the last 13 yrs. He also play guitar with other volunteers and sings old songs (from the 20-70’s) and country and western every Friday (1-3pm) at the Veterans Nursing Home.
He loves gardening and taking care of his grandchildren. Mary and I have 10 Grandchildren, ages from 6-30 yrs and 6 Great Grandchildren. Bud worked as a facilitator for Attitudinal Healing for 5 yrs and tried to incorporate that concept with art. He has been teaching Art for the last 16 yrs. and loves the challenge and working with people.