It was fun to look back through thousands of archived pictures and drawings as I put together my presentation for the USSC conference. The tough job was to pick the right ones that would clearly convey my message. For the last slide I needed an image to sum up my talk about shooting for the moon - in our own unique style and fashion. I knew exactly the image I would use. It was inspired by the nursery rhyme 'Hey diddle, diddle, the cat and the fiddle... ' In my mind the whole idea is foolishness - unless of course the cow was to wear a space suit. It would have to be custom designed to fit the cow and that leaves lots of room for creativity and more than a little fun. I wish that kind of creativity and fun for everyone I meet.
The time the Prime Minster of Canada helped me on a project
This evening as I continued preparing for my presentation I came across a newspaper clipping I had long forgotten. The picture is of the Prime Minster of Canada, John Turner laying a concrete block as I watched on. We were working on a sign base which I was building back in the early 1980's.
There is of course a fun story behind the newspaper article. Back then we had an art gallery in Chemainus. I was active in the downtown doing all manners of sign projects. It was announced that the Prime Minister of Canada was going to visit our little town and I was offered the chance to meet him. Those in authority told me to dress nice and be in our gallery at exactly 9:00 am. They would drop by. I secretly devised a slightly different plan.
At exactly 9:00 am the Prime Minister of Canada and his entire entourage walked up our street and poked their head into the gallery. Janis was there but I wasn't. Janis told them I was out so they continued on their way. I was in fact watching from just across the street, hiding behind a bush. As the group crossed the street towards me I stepped out with a trowel in my hand. I was of course dressed in paint spattered work clothes. As they passed I dusted my dirty hand off on my jeans and stretched it out to greet the Honorable John Turner. He shook my hand after a somewhat reluctant introduction by the Mayor. I smiled and asked the prime minister if he would like to lay a cornerstone on the sign I was building. Not to pass up a photo opportunity (even an unscheduled one) he graciously helped me out. The story and picture made the front page of all the local papers and the evening news on TV. Mission accomplished. :)
First artwork
As I was preparing for some presentations I am doing at an upcoming sign conference I came across the earliest piece of artwork I have in my collection. I don't remember doing the colouring but I do recall being told about the suitable reward I received for doing it - and not the good kind. Thankfully that discipline didn't deter me from continuing on with my art career later in life. As it turns out I now wear glasses that look a lot like the ones I drew on this picture. :)
