Carl’s interest in art and his early talent have shaped his life. He holds a BFA in Design from the University of Illinois/Champaign and became a commercial artist in the metro Chicago area. In 1970 he moved to Galena, Illinois to paint full time. Galena’s Historic District has greatly inspired him in developing his pen-and-ink and watercolor technique to record historic architecture.
In 1977 Carl published The building of Galena: An Architectural Legacy, including 15 watercolor illustrations.