Biography

Eric was born in Baltimore, Maryland and raised near the city of Annapolis. His mother, Thelma Helgoe Conklin, was an artist in ceramics and porcelain. At age five, Eric and his twin sister April, were always in her studio to help. Eric still has a hand painted ceramic mug with a scene of the family cat chasing a mouse and a small green ceramic alligator with golden eyes. Eric began his art study in grade school with the encouragement from Louis Schatt, a teacher who took great care in promoting all styles of art to his students. It was here that Eric painted his first oil painting. In the mid sixties, Eric was part of a concentrated group of artists that Louis Schatt mentored and followed to their graduation. Of the group, Eric's paintings were always very tight with a high degree of detail. After graduation the group separated and their lives took different paths. Eric trained to become an architectural delineator but failed to find work and took a job as a commercial artist. After several years and as many jobs with no clear direction for his future, his father convinced him to work in the family trucking business.

In 1981 he met Victoria Lynne Davis and the couple married in 1984. Vikki's commitment and encouragement allowed Eric the time to study art. After the death of Eric's parents, the couple decided to direct full-time attention to Eric's future in art and both went back to school. Vikki took business management and art courses, and Eric furthered his knowledge and skill in Trompe l'Oeil and Dutch Old Masters. Eric studied with a five year graduate from the Schuler School of Fine Art in Baltimore and then with the John Ebersberger Atelier for figurative and color study at the Maryland Hall, School of the Arts, in Annapolis, Maryland. He furthered his education with an intense study of optical illusions, anamorphic images and perspective boxes. His love for trompe l'oeil paintings was spurred by the optical illusions in paintings by Peale, Harnett, Haberle and Van Hoogstraten. Eric's fascination of the Flemish and Dutch Masters persuaded him to build the first working model of a Perspective Box in the 21st century.

Eric has lectured at the University of Wisconsin, Marshfield, Wisconsin and lectured with painting demonstrations in residence at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, Wisconsin and the Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Eric has also provided numerous painting demonstrations and lectures for High Schools and the Annapolis Art Walk, Annapolis, Maryland.

Eric's commitment to his art is in the tradition of the Old Dutch Masters. He prepares his own oil paints by using dry pigments mixed with various oils. His panels and canvas are prepared in the traditional European method, using rabbit skin glue and paris whiting as a ground.

Eric lives and works in Davidsonville, Maryland. Imagination, antiques and humor are trademarks of his paintings. When asked, "Whatever happened to your teacher Mr. Lou Schatt?" Eric's answer... "Lou comes by the studio once a week, just to keep me in line." Eric's paintings are in private and corporate collections worldwide.

Eric is included in Marquis, Who's Who in America, and Who's Who in American Art and Who's Who in the World. Eric is a member of the Maryland Hall School for the Arts, Annapolis, MD; Associate Member of The Allied Artists of America, New York, and founding member of The Trompe l'Oeil Society of Artists, Scottsdale, Arizona.

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