Paul graduated from the University of Minnesota with an interdepartmental BA in Art and Biology. After relocating to Tucson, he worked for twelve years as a graphic designer for the University of Arizona’s Office of Arid Lands Studies. His book illustrations first appeared in Gathering the Desert by Gary Paul Nabhan, winner of the John Burroughs Medal for natural history in 1985. Working on his own, Paul illustrated 20 children’s science picture books, textbooks, and contemporary nature writing. He has designed publications, brochures, posters, and books, as well as museum exhibits. His work was included in the book The Very Best of Children’s Illustration, compiled by the Society of Illustrators in 1994.

As artist-in-residence at the University of Arizona’s historic Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill, Paul created a collaborative art-science program and field drawing course.

Adding to his visual design skills, Paul completed a Masters Degree in User Experience Design (UX) in 2017 and currently works for the Udall Center’s NEPAccess (https://NEPAccess.org) project doing user research, web design, and graphic design.