i was born and grew up in madison, wisconsin, usa. both of my parents came from europe, and were remarkable people who fostered my love for the arts and encouraged my creativity from a very early age. after finishing high school, i spent a few years skiing in austria and traveling. i returned to madison, got a fine arts degree from the university of wisconsin-madison, and then moved to europe permanently. i got married, had three children, entered the world of advertising, settled in hamburg for good, became a director, and traveled the world shooting commercials. through it all, i kept painting, creating, and, above all, dreaming.