Like most children, I enjoyed coloring, doodling, and drawing. Whether in a coloring book or on a blank sheet of paper, my parents and grandparents were all supportive of my artistic endeavors. Many of my early works of art were proudly displayed on the family's refrigerator.

In 4th grade, I won 1st prize in the McKinley Elementary School art festival for my hand-drawn panorama of Pepperland from the animated feature film Yellow Submarine. This was my first art-related award.

In 1991, my family went on our first vacation to the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Upon arrival at their hotel, I was blown away by a place that embodied everything I had dreamed Florida to be. Oversized seashells with cascading fountains, bright white sandy beaches, dolphin fish, and palm trees everywhere!

It was during that trip that I developed an interest in architecture and decided I would grow up to be an architect so I could design amazing places and spaces like those at Michael Graves' postmodern paradise, the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel.

Four years after that vacation, I joined the Cast of my local Disney Store. While my interest in becoming an architect had mostly faded, my yearning to be at Disney had not. Almost two years into my career with the store, I transferred to the Magic Kingdom to become an Attractions Host at Tropical Serenade (Florida's version of the Enchanted Tiki Room). It was here that I discovered my love of Polynesian Pop Culture.

During his time as an overenthusiastic show host at the place "where the birds sing words and the flowers croon", one of my leaders gave me the nickname "Tiki Tackett"... a nickname that follows me to this day.

Prior to the start of Disneyland's 50th anniversary celebration, an online game went into development. By this time, I had become the Secretary for Guest Relations at the Magic Kingdom. The game's creator was in the Magic Kingdom for a meeting, passed by my office, and noticed some small, simple artwork I had created for one of the walls. He asked if I had created the artwork and then asked if I would like to design some small artwork for the game they were working on.

A few weeks later, I received my first assignment and began creating the virtual trading pins players Disney's Virtual Magic Kingdom could collect and trade in the game.

Following the closure of Disney's Virtual Magic Kingdom in 2007, I found myself without an "official" creative outlet for a while.

In 2011, the team at the Disney Parks Blog (then in its earliest stages) asked if I would be interested in designing some digital wallpapers they could release via the blog. I jumped at the opportunity and from 2011 through 2018 served as a contributing artist.

In 2018, I was contacted by the team responsible for the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts. They were looking for artists who might be interested in hosting a 25-minute symposium during the upcoming season. I accepted the invitation and, for two seasons, presented my self-produced symposium "One Little Spark: Finding the Figment Inside of YOU!"

Upon the conclusion of the 2019 season of the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts and after my modest success as a graphic designer, I decided that it was time to move beyond the "self taught" lable.

Disney was offering a program for employees that would let me attend college and earn my degree "on the mouse". I registered with Valencia College and began the journey to earn my A.S. Degree in Graphic and Interactive Design as a part time student. I graduated in May of 2025.

While I am not currently working on anything for Disney, I have been engaged by a few other clients. I've designed several theatrical posters for a company in Connecticut and have worked on a digital magazine for a national automotive enthusiast group. I've seen my artwork hang in an actual art museum in New York as part of a companion exhibit.

Only time will tell where my next design adventure will take me!