My name is Brian Dunlop.  I am 28 years old, born on May 26^th, 1975 in Providence, Rhode Island to Jenny and Michael Dunlop.  I am an only child.  I lived in Cranston, Rhode Island growing up.  My mother was a seamstress and my father was a carpenter.  My mother always made sure I minded my manners and never disrespected anyone.  If I had nothing nice to say I would not say anything at all.  My father was a master craftsman.  I would have to say he is the reason art and artists fascinated me.  I could picture how an artist had created his work based upon watching my father on the job. 

My school has been very fortunate being able to attend a full curriculum in a due coarse of time.  I attended -Robinson High School and the Community College of Rhode Island.  At CCRI I studied business and some art history.  I had wanted to be an art major, but I was just never very good with my hands making my craftsmanship never quite as good as my father’s. 

I joined a fraternity known as Delta Sigma Beta (DSB) at CCRI.  Actually, it was really URI (University of Rhode Island) fraternity, but they allowed us to be members.  Paying $10.00 every time we walked in the door paid our dues.  I loved that place.  We had a mascot who was a little old basset hound.  His name was Max[1].  We also had a sports team called the Drunken Snowboarders (DSB).  We had some good times.  Boy, would my mother be mad if she knew what we did!

In school, however, I realized that I had the potential to allow art to occur by alleviating the stress artists feel from the business side of their lives.  I can remember my father being very annoyed at having to stop making something because of the contracts and legal papers he had to deal with.  I felt that if I could take on that aspect of the artist’s role, then I could lend my share towards the creation of art.

After college, I was unable to find work for an artist.  My father could not employ me due to his perpetual slowing of business.  He was getting older and really only taking on small jobs for people he already knew.  My mother suggested I move to the city and work at the state post office.  The benefits would cover me and I would be around other people my age.  My mother always did want the best for me. 

I moved to the city (Providence) in 1997 and in fact got the job at the post office.  I am a good sorter and organizer, so they put me in the back sorting mail.  Local, National and International.  I got “Employee of the Month” seven times in seven years.  Not too bad.  The benefits were great and the pay was great, especially in the Christmas season.  

My house is on Gano Street by the Dunkin’ Donuts over looking the baseball field.  Ms. Maya Janczykowsca believes I live close to Mr. Lloyd, but I do not know this for sure.  Anyways, I enjoy the placement of my house.  I do not have a car, but my roommates, Ryan and Sean[2], have cars so that I can get around.  I also have a bike that is very useful for getting around town and the city. 

Even though my job was great at the post office, I decided to be ambitious and not give up on my dream of working for an artist.  I put my resume on Monster.com and tried the networking program.  My networking got me in contact with the artist J Gabriel Lloyd, also on Monster.com. 

As of now, I am employed full time by Mr. Lloyd to accomplish his office work so that he can spend his time being an artist.  I have to say it is a bit of an odd relationship between the two of us.  I have never met the man, although our e-mail correspondence has been very positive.  It is also strange that he has an assistant when he is only a senior at the Rhode Island School of Design.  But, I never was the artist, so I can’t really decide as to what is “normal” and “abnormal” for the conduct of him.  I do have to say that Mr. Lloyd is very conscious of his relationship between himself and his studio mates by making sure that I am courteous and professional to everyone.  That is a good person.