Artsy Fartsy

Not the most sophisticated of terms but still "Artsy Fartsy" is just one of those sayings I grew  up with. My mother often used it to describe my father who indeed did have some professional training as a graphics artist. He tried many times over to make a living as an artist, but starving was not his style, (imagine a cross between Santa Claus , Mickey Rooney and Chris Farley) so he worked in many other jobs over the years (maintenance man, policeman, roofer, welder, sand blaster, ammunitions plant worker etc...) all the while keeping his fingers stained with paint. While working at his full time jobs, he also had his own screen printing business and truck lettering operation. He tried to sell his oils, mostly landscapes, but he often underpriced himself and ended up losing WAY more money than he ever gained but he loved the art world dearly and he never gave up the dream of being known as "an artist". He may not have known it then, but that is exactly how we all still think of him today.

So, having grown up with paint and markers and crayons and colored pencils and lots of odd shaped brushes, I like to keep them around for my grandchildren too. Maybe, one day, one of them will attach "artist" to their list of accomplishments.

Future artists Nicole 8 , Wesley 2 and Allana 5