BIOGRAPHY
Justin Chadbourn was born and raised in New Hampshire and attended college in northern New York state.   He has been involved in art, theatre and writing, both educationally and professionally, throughout most of his life.  After graduating college with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and writing, he moved to Florida, where he began training in martial arts in February of 2001.  “Seemed like something fun to do at the time,” he says.  

Seven years later, he still trains in the Meishinkan, studying under Jeff Reach Sensei.  He earned his first degree black belt in Chong Shin Kwan in 2003, followed by shodan in Aikido while serving as an uchideshi, live in student, of Van Bushnell Shihan in Birmingham, Alabama.  In 2007 he tested for nidan in Chong Shin Kwan.  He has competed at state, regional, and international level tournaments and is training for his judging license in the USANKF.  

Mr. Chadbourn remains active in art, having completed a number of illustration projects for the dojo.  He exhibits and sells artwork in southwest Florida, with a claim to fame that his drawings remain in private collections as far away as Australia.  He took up poetry in college and has an extensive collection in the works, which will someday become his second book.  His first, The Prosceniad, is slated for publication in the latter part of 2008.  An epic poem, it was influenced by his theatre background, classical literature, martial arts, film noir, and art.  It will include three illustrations by the author.  

Besides martial arts, art and writing, Mr. Chadbourn works as a security professional during the day in Fort Myers.