Tommy Casatelli grew up in blue-collar Brooklyn. He went to war. He ran into burning buildings. He says sharing his art is the scariest thing he's ever done.

After returning from Desert Storm in 1991, he turned down a scholarship to the School of Visual Arts and an apprenticeship with Abstract Expressionist pioneer Fred Mitchell — and joined the FDNY instead. He spent years fighting fires in some of New York City's busiest houses.

He is now finishing his memoir, A Fine Gray Dust, about his struggle with PTSD in the aftermath of 9/11.

The art came after all of it.