I FORMERLY OWNED A SIGN COMPANY AND I AM NOW DOING ACRYLIC PAINTINGS. I HAVE PAINTED SIGNS SINCE I WAS 17 AND NOW IN MY RETIREMENT I AM PAINTING SCENES FROM THE MARQUETTE, MICHIGAN AREA. MY GRANDFATHER WALTER COOK SR STARTED OUR SIGN COMPANY (COOK SIGN SERVIVE) IN 1936 AND MY FATHER WALTER COOK JR WORKED THE BUSINESS UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT. I TOOK OVER THE BUSINESS WITH MY WIFE MARILYN AND BUILT A BILLBOARD BUSINESS ALONG WITH THE COMMERCIAL SIGN BUSINESS. OVER THE YEARS I WORKED WITH SOME VERY GOOD SIGN PAINTING ARTISTS AND I LEARNED MUCH ABOUT MIXING COLOR AND BRUSH CONTROL.

AS I WAS BUSY IN THE SIGN BUSINESS I NOTICED THAT NOT MANY ARTISTS PAINTED OUR SHORLINE AS IT RELATED TO OUR HARBORS. ONCE I HAD TIME I STARTED TO PAINT SCENES THAT AS A CHILD GROWING UP ON THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN I SAW AND APPRECIATED. I SPENT MANY DAYS FISHING CINDER POND AND ALONG THE COAL DOCK. I DECIDED THAT I NEEDED TO SOMEHOW HELP OTHERS APPRECIATE OUR HARBORS.