My First time being tagged...

Valley of the Patriarchs, 8X10, oil on linen panel

Well, I can't believe it's been a whole month since I posted last. I just got back from Zion National Park in Utah. Beautiful doesn't even begin to describe what it's like there in the fall. I cannot wait to get back. But on to other things. I received a post from the very talented painter and blogger Teresa Rankin, that she had tagged me on her blogspot. I had no idea what she was talking about, but Teresa has been so kind and supportive to me and I appreciate that. So I skipped over to her blog to see what all the hubbub was about. This is what I discovered...... In the blogging world one blogger can "tag" another by adding a link to your site from theirs. This is great, in that lots of people who have never heard of you get the opportunity by following their link. I do this all the time. I'll click on the links of the artists whom I admire, to find lots of other artists who's ability and vision blow me away. It seems like every day I stumble on another incredible talent. It's one of the reasons I love the internet so much. However, there are a few rules you have to follow if you are tagged (tagging ettiquette I guess you could say). Here are the rules:

1. Put a link in your posting to the person who tagged you.
2. List 7 unusual things about yourself.
3. Tag 7 other bloggers at the end of your post and comment on their blogs to let them know.


Hmmmm, I suppose I can think of seven unusual things about myself, but can I come up with ones that won't completely embarass my family or require me to undo all the good that my expensive therapy did by digging up my past. I'm game to try, so here goes...

1) I play the Tin Whistle (aka, penny whistle or irish whistle). There, I said it, and I'm glad it's out. Haha!! What on earth is the tin whistle you are probably asking, and why would anyone play it. Well, the tin whistle is just what it sounds like. It's a cheap whistle with six holes and is played primarily in Irish music. Usually you can pick up a good whistle for about ten bucks and they don't sound much different than the more expensive whistles. Why do I play? Lots of reasons really. Back in school I played the trumpet and almost became a musician. But I went the artist/illustration route. I haven't picked up my trumpet in many years. In the past year, I wanted to get back to playing an instrument, but wanted it to be cheap to buy, easy to learn, perfect to pick up and play at the end of a long painting day. It's also very portable, so that I could take it with me and play it when I wanted on the road, or the opportunity arose (like around campfires at the end of a painting day). There are very few things as uplifting and beautiful as a well played tin whistle.

2)When I was sixteen, I almost lost an eye. I was helping my uncle convert a stock car into a racing car. I was with my buddy, and we were trying to take the windshield out of the shell of the car. I pried a screwdriver under the seal of the windshield to try to get it to pop out. Next thing I know the windshield had shattered into a gazillion tiny fragments and I had one slice through the cornea of my left eye (this was in the dinosaur days before helmets and protective eyewear were the norm. I took sixteen stitches to the lens of my eye during micro surgery by an incredibly talented doctor who was a specialist in occular surgery. He happened to be in the area, training other doctors to repair the eyes of people who were dumb enough to do something as stupid as me. Its why I wear glasses to this day and why I will never be able to wear contact lenses or have Lasik surgery to fix my vision. Jeezsh, It's a wonder any of us live to adulthood. I never have stuck my finger in a light socket though.... those people are reallllly dumb. I think there were about 6 years in a row that I ended up in the hospital or emergency room during my preteen to early teen years for one thing or another.

3) I am distantly related to Chris Kirkpatrick, of N' Sync fame (he's the one with the Dred locks). Very distant. My Aunt was his Grandmother. That's pretty distant.

4) My wife Ann and I met at the opening of one of my art shows.

5) I have absolutely no home handyman skills. I do my best, but I'm hopeless.

6) My favorite movies are kind of oddball comedies. Grumpy Old Men, Grumpier Old Men, It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, and Mel Brook's homage to Alfred Hitchcock, High Anxiety. But I don't get the humor of the Three Stooges. What's that all about?

7) I'm a huge fan of the UFC and MMA. Can't get enough. I also love rodeo and the PBR (bull riding). But I can't stomach hunting. In fact I can't even watch it on TV. I have nothing against it personally, and I understand why it's necessary. I just can't do it myself. Fishing is not a problem, and I love to get out whenever I can (which ain't often).

8) When I was working as an illustrator, I did the artwork for some of the Count Chocula, Frankenberry and Booberry boxes. Also the illustration for the Monopoly Junior game box. I've worked on Wheaties, Trix, Lucky Charms and Cinnamon Toast Crunch as well as many others. I guess I'm the one responsible for trying to get your kids to throw tantrums until you gave in out of frustration and bought the product just to shut them up. This was followed by the sugar rush in which they bounced off the walls until the eventual sugar crash and coma.

.... well that's it. Just to see if you were paying attention, I threw in an extra one that is a bald faced lie. Couldn't help it, it's just how I am. But can you tell which it is?

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Here is my list of 7 other artists which I want to tag. I'm not too worried if they've already been tagged by someone else. They are definitely worth checking out, IMO.


Bill Anton in my opinion, one of the very best western artist's working to day. Bar none.
Rusty Jones and incredibly talented plein air painter. I'm looking forward to meeting Rusty in May.
Jacquelyn Bischak paints figures with feeling and mood better than just about anyone. Her draftsmanship is second to none.
Jennifer McChristian a painter's painter. One of these days I will take a workshop from Jennifer. She has much to teach me.
Xiangyuan Jie also a painters painter. The other artist from which I will be taking a workshop at some time in the future.
John Taft I love the direct and unfussed with nature of John's paintings.
John Hughes John is a master of plein air. I truly don't know how he does what he does in the field.

Heres a bonus post to my cousin Jason Eustice. He is an incredibly talented, up and coming country songwriter/singer. His father was also a promising songwriter/singer who died very young and who's star burned out way too soon. Jason is following in his fathers footsteps and chasing that dream. I'm proud of you Bro'. Enjoy!!


Thats it. I hope you got a kick out of my post. Thanks for wasting some time with me.

Steve

P.S. The false tidbit is #4. I wasn't painting yet, when I met Ann way back in 1999. We actually met at swing dance lessons. We both love 1940's big band swing music. I actually got the painting bug on our honeymoon in northern Minnesota. True story.