I studied industrial design with Henry Dreyfuss, Niels Diffrient, and Melvin Best at UCLA. After a brief Vietnam diversion with the Air National Guard Band, I went on to design educational toys and consumer products--everything from "toilet seats to TV shows". Clients included Tyko, Playschool, Tonka Toys, Toro, Spalding, Evenflow, and Heater Quigley Productions.

With Peter Pierce, a colleague of Buckminster Fuller, I helped to found Synestructics Inc. . As Director of Engineering I was responsible for the development of numerous educational toys, a line of kites (later sold to High Flyer), a playground system used in museums and parks around the world and the preliminary development of an architectural building system (later used for Biosphere ll and other architectural projects).

As Director of Research and Development for Vogue Coach Corporation, I designed a series of motor homes that were used for several years. More recent design projects involve environmentally friendly residential home and landscape projects and research into the role of computer technology in the design process.

As a professor and later Chair of the Art General Studies Department at C.S.U.N. I developed a curriculum for teaching art and design to non-artist. This resulted in MAPS, a framework for art and design literacy and the text Introduction to Art Processes, published by Kendall/Hunt and used in art survey courses. The framework, M.A.P.S. The Language of Forms , is now a Web publication that is available for teachers and art education students. It provides an interactive vocabulary for the discussion, analysis and creation of visual forms.

Recent exploration into the role of computer technology in the design process resulted in Visual Technology, Computer Art and Design Basics,a text/workbook published by Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company and, Dr. Dither's Digital Basics -- a text/workbook/web publication by VIS.tech Publishing. Both were developed for a new Art Department course for all Art majors and also used for an On-line version of the course.

Music

For the last few years, I have played only for myself, family and friends, however, I studied art on a music scholarship, and earned my advanced degree by teaching french horn and playing semiprofessionally in the LA area--performing with community orchestras, recording sessions, and summer institutes. As you can probably tell from the experience outlined below, I have performed much of the standard repertoire for orchestra, opera, quintet, brass and some jazz. Highlights of my 18 years of experience include performances with:

Portland Symphony, Burbank Symphony, Ventura Symphony, Beverly Hills Ballet Orchestra, Stan Kenton's Big Band, Debut Orchestra, Los Angeles Horn Club, San Fernando Valley Symphony (four years under Elmer Bernstein), Los Angeles Philharmonic Hollywood Bowl (added brass for 1812 Overture, Van Nuys Air National Guard Band, USC Isomatta Orchestra (tour of Scandinavia), CSUN, First horn, four years, Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Opera Orchestra, Woodwind Quintet (scholarship award 2 years), Studio Band (second in the nation), Numerous rock, jazz and film recording sessions.