I'm the VP and Divisional Publisher for American Artist. But, that's just my business 'hat!' WAY more important, I'm a painter - watercolor (because I can travel with the medium and I'm on the road a lot). I've got a BFA in painting and drawing from the University of Colorado. I studied Organic Chemistry (undergraduate and graduate levels), as well.
Before moving into media and publishing, I was the North American Director of Technical Education for Winsor + Newton and for Liquitex. I also served as Director of Marketing for both of those brands. I've also written a book about materials (What Every Artist Needs to Know About Paints and Colors, Krause, 2000) and over a hundred articles in publications on art materials and other art related stuff.
Philosophically, I believe that there's no better avenue than through art to explore the world. It's the perfect intersection through which to learn chemistry, physics, humanities, and culture. And, because of the way in which art-making has shaped my thinking process, it has been the biggest single factor in whatever success I've had in business.