DICKIE’S HOOD

I’ve always resonated with the idea of being my brother’s keeper, though I’ve never liked the term “useless eater.” So why begin a biography with such an unflattering phrase paired with something stoic? I suppose it’s a reflection of a mind that’s rarely at rest.

My life has centered around helping others—guided by a clear sense of right and wrong from an early age, which set me apart from peers who were more focused on picking sports teams. That same moral clarity sparked anger and led to challenges growing up, especially after a difficult mental health diagnosis. Nevertheless, I’ve used my frustrations, passion, creativity, and resilience to fuel my art and my actions.

Raised as a latchkey kid in Springfield, Illinois, at the tail end of Generation X, my path could have gone many ways after high school. Fortunately, wrestling gave me purpose—it’s where the nickname ‘Dickie’ was born and where I met Kelly. Transitioning from athletics, I traveled with her as an activist, and later, discovered my artistic side, teaching myself to paint and ultimately creating over 100 multimedia works spanning abstract, surrealism, and portrait genres.

My journey has included touring with bands as a roadie, entertaining as part of a freak show, opening for acts like Bloody Mess and the Transfusions, working as a bouncer, private security, activist, virtual artist, and taking on countless other gigs. Each experience adds to my story, seasoning me, but I consider what comes next as the true beginning.

Today, family is at the heart of my life—a fiercely loyal and uniquely assembled group, less like the Brady Bunch and more akin to a Rube Goldberg machine. No matter our backgrounds, our bond means we fiercely defend and support one another. To us, family is everything.