[1] He first studied painting with Archibald Willard in 1874, with whom he would found the Cleveland Art Club in 1876.

Upon his return to Cleveland in September 1885, he joined the faculty of the design school and would be associated with them for the next 41 years, including serving as director from 1889–1891.

[3] As an instructor, he taught a large number of Cleveland-based artists, such as Charles Burchfield, Henry Keller, Abel Warshawsky, and Frank N.

During this period he exhibited almost yearly at the National Academy of Design, and the Boston Art Club a few times.

In 1897, he founded a summer art school in Zoar which relocated to Chagrin Falls in 1899.