Dave’s mother was the first person to inspire him toward a path in art. In his words, “She was really artsy!” Fortunately for Dave, she encouraged his interest in a variety of art media and supported his efforts to learn and grow as an artist. He fell in love with pottery when he was 14, and he continued making pottery for many years.

As he got older, he also developed a strong interest in writing and went on to earn a BA in Creative Writing from Emory. In 2011, Dave returned to his love of pottery, opening and running a ceramics studio for several years in Austin, Texas. More recently, Dave took up writing again.

After some starts and stops, a business coach challenged him to create something fun just for himself, without any real “end goal” for whatever he created. He began dashing off quick drawings. As he pondered his drawings more deeply, verses appeared. Daily time with paper, pen, and marker brought calm and long periods of thought about ways to better our lives and our world through simple changes in our lives and the sharing of kindness with others.

Dave’s drawings and often inspiring Haikus helped him reconnect to the path of peace, love, and joy that he wanted to take through the world, the one he wanted his art to help others find again for themselves. Haikoodles were born.