After obtaining a political science degree from Grove City University, Payson went on to The Philadelphia Academy of Art for an additional bachelors in Illustration. He has not stopped painting and drawing ever since.

Aside from landscapes and abstractions, right now he primarily focuses on painting portraits of people’s pets.

Payson lives and works in Malvern Pennsylvania out of his home studio with his two cats Inky and Pinky who are the ever watchful critics of his work.