Thanks so much for taking time to visit my website! I'm L. J. Oakes, [Lewellyn, John or J.O.].    I was born in Georgia where my dad was stationed in the Army. When I was six months old we moved to Pennsylvania where I grew up in a small town about forty miles southeast of Pittsburgh. I spent most of my youth hunting, fishing, and trapping on and in the nearby farms and woodlands with my father, relatives, and friends. After high school I joined the Navy and ended up in San Diego, "America's Finest City," where I still live forty-five years later. I married a San Diego native, Deanna, now a retired teacher. We have two children, Summer and Shad, and five grandchildren, so far.
   My only real life long hobby has been breeding and showing fancy pigeons, the English Trumpeter is my favorite breed. My love for art came from a pastor/artist I knew in the 70's and 80's. His name was Carl Zimmerman and my most prized art is a small collection of his original paintings. In October of 2003 we lost our home in the Cedar fires that swept through San Diego County, we have rebuilt a beautiful new home and thank God for His Blessings. In July of 2007 a friend gave me the art supplies which had belonged to his late wife Sue, after she had died from breast cancer. That August I finished my first painting and haven't stopped since. I have also enjoyed photography and have started offering fine art prints of some of my photographs. I'm a Christian man and I believe God's design of creation is profoundly displayed in nature. My desire is to express His greatness through my paintings and photographs!     Colossians1:16-17