Taken in 1998, in my dojo, this picture features the following people: (from left) Shihan Dai Carlos Febres, Ken Bryan, Sijo Art Lapham, and myself.

Sijo Art Lapham is the founder and creator of Raven Kenpo Jujutsu. He began his Martial Arts training in Kenpo Karate (Karazenpo Goshinjutsu) with Paul Botelho in Fall River, MA. He later trained with Kwang Sup Lee in Tang Soo Do and Tae Kwon Do, eventually recieveing his 2nd Degree Black Belt. He then came to study the Philipino Martial Arts under me in New Bedofrd in the early 1990's. Once he found out about my ranks in Chinese-Hawaiian Kenpo and Ed Parker's American Kenpo, he then studied both of those arts under me. His main focus was on the Chinese-Hawaiian Kenpo system, although he did study American Kenpo for a time and was a probationary Black Belt under the IKKA. However, from the onset of his training, Art Lapham has always sought to creat his own style. He has always sought to incorporate other styles of martial Arts into what was to become Raven Kenpo Jujutsu. He would later go on to study Kung Fu with me as well as weaponery, Shao Choy Hung Chin Na from Sijo Bob Smith, Kajukenpo Pai Lum with Shir Tai Gung Bill Gregory, and Nindo Ryu Jujutsu from Carlos Febres.

Art Lapham would then go on to compete on the KRANE (Karate Referee's Association of New England) regional tournament circuit and at one point was the top competitor in the Black Belt soft style forms division as well as the top competitor in the soft style weapons division. Then a tragic automobile accident cost him his tournament career, his Karate school, and almost his life! He had fractured vertebre and could have easily been paralyzed for life. Thankfully, he has since recovered, but the greivious injuries will never allow him to be able to perform the high-risk, acrobatic maneuvers he had priviously done.

Due to Mr. Lapham's previous and present Martial Arts training, he has recieved the following ranks: Kenpo-1st degree Black Belt from Paul Botelho, 2nd degree Black Belt from George Pesare, 3rd degree Black Belt from Bill Gregory. He was certified for the rank of Nidan (2nd degree Black Belt) in Jujutsu through Nindo Ryu International and recognized as the "Sijo" (founder) of the Raven Kenpo Jujutsu style by that organization. Although this style is still a "work in progress," Art Lapham has promoted the art through his students. One of his Black Belts, Ken Bryan, shown standing next to his instructor.