Paul E. Priest R.T.
Greetings, my picture was taken in the waiting room of my x-ray clinic, which I owned and operated. I am a registered Radiologic Technologists with over 30 years experience. I’m holding one of my museum quality fine art prints I developed, which was on my waiting room wall. Since this is a biography, I would like to thank the people and schools that encouraged me to develop my art gifts, to this world-class level.
I grew up in Manchester, New Hampshire until the age of 12. In the mid-fifties we were privileged, we had two black and white TVs; some of the neighbors were still listening to the Lone Ranger on radio.
My late father was a chemical engineer, and my late mother had a degree in anthropology and religion. A special family event would be a presentation of other cultures and people in living “color” on our slide projector, the first real home entertainment theater. These presentations by my mother started my love for photography, people and other cultures.
My father was also an inventor with several of the products he developed, being used nationally. These include the high-gloss coating on the Hallmark greeting cards and the Birdseye frozen food paper packaging container design. So, indirectly our family’s work has probable already come into your home. My father taught me science, product development and marketing skills.
In 1960 we moved to southern California where my father took a job in the emerging aerospace industry as a chemical engineer. That year we went to Disneyland and I saw Walt Disney driving one of the trains, another creator of art that inspired me.
I graduated from Chatsworth high school in the mid-sixties with a major in architectural and mechanical drafting. This taught me detail and the patients required for long art projects, such as the making of this animal x-rays series. In 1973 I went on a world educational cruise on Chapman College’s world campus afloat. On that semester at sea I visiting many ports of call around the world, it taught me how lucky we are in America and inspired my African animal images. Two of my poems in iambic pentameter style were published in the literary magazine. That semester finished my associate’s degree. In 1975 I started the x-ray technology program at Huntington Memorial hospital in Pasadena, a teaching hospital with a then new, 1st generation CAT scanner. I pass the national boards in 1977 with a 90% score. I worked at the University of California Irvine medical Center for two years and have always enjoyed the university teaching atmosphere.
In the mid-eighties I started utilizing my photographic skills. My photographic awards include an honorable mention and a $100 savings bond with the Johnson and Johnson’s adorable baby contest. I won best of show in amateur photography out of 100 entries at a county fair. And two first-place awards in photography at the State fair level.
In 2006 I was invited by a professor and gave an art seminar at my x-ray lab, to a senior class attending Western Washington University’s art program.
My latest project is to create and develop unique x-ray images as teaching tools for children and young adults. So keep coming back to this web site for further updates and new images of interest for the entire family.