Came to the United States in May 1910, and worked in restaurants in New York City and in Boston, Massachusetts before working his way west to Los Angeles. Served in the U. S. Army during World War I and became an American citizen in 1918. In 1976, he sent President Jimmy Carter a painting of a dove of peace with the request that it be considered, along with the bald eagle, as the emblem of the United States, stating that "the eagle represents physical power, but the dove would represent spiritual strength," stating further that "as day follows the night, there is no alternative in this ideal for world peace.".
