The Artist
At times, mostly, I struggle with self-promotion and without question confidence wanes as well.
Since I have not updated this ‘Artist’ section in some time, with traffic increasing, it is time for an upgrade.
I am keeping the first and original for any newcomers benefit and that follows.
My name is William, I go by Bill however I am branded and the artist known as the symbol ‘W’. As Prince was known as that silly symbol, ‘DOUBLE-you’ is fine but NOT ‘dub-ya’. That’s another artist.
Anyway, my art continues to evolve and I am branching out into writing in case again you are a newcomer and recent discoverer. I like to think both are improving for iffen then do not, what AM I doing?
The entire thing is an adventure and like life it is full of changes, good and bad and thru it all one learns. Or they should. I know I have and expect to until it is time to be planted.
Probably the best thing to do now is stop and check and see if there are any questions. Let you the reader or explorer read on your own. It’s all here and if you don’t see something that causes you wonder, ask the question.
I had a professor once tell me the only stupid question was the one that didn’t get asked. That is how we as humans learn. Never, EVER, stop learning so keep asking questions. It you are 8 or 80 life-long learning allows you to experience true magic.
Never say never and never give up.
To be continued and more later.
See the blog. At this moment, there are over 900 entries going back at least nine (9) years and approaching 1000 entries. The transition to a paid vehicle is in process to a site or what … (?) … it’s called Substack and is touted as a home for writers. Figured I would try it out.
Look for Sterchaxonsubstack. Kind of a different play on the words & spelling but again all in fun. And this is important so write it down OR refer back.
If it isn’t fun, WHY are you doing it ?
WS
Some History
I started my artistic career carving wood trying to cut off my fingers for exactly how long I don’t know. But maybe 50 years, plus or minus a few. I stopped and started until I got whacked or assassinated in the corporate world and 'retired' sooner than I would have wished. No, PLANNED.
Growing up in a small town, a large family of modest means, living outside of town, before cable tv, video games, remote control AND even COLOR tv, self-amusement & entertainment were a must & underscored.
I remember mentioning to my Mom one time I was bored & she said read a book. Another time she just said ‘tough’. My Dad would find a job or small task for me to do so I refrained from telling him I was bored. I am not knocking my Parents but you get the idea ?
My Father had a workshop in our basement, a large number of tools and there was always wood around so being the oldest, experimenting with wood & sharp things eventually came together.
Later, in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, my Dad saw to it that my brothers and I fully understood safety and the dangers of sharp tools first then power tools. The correct way to use saws, blades, chisels, knives as well as the importance of plans. We started with simple projects like bird houses and over time progressed.
Later, I saw a wooden duck decoy. I thought that was pretty neat especially when I saw the selling price. I wondered if I could do something like that.
Years later, I noticed a price tag & decided then & there that I could AND WOULD do that.
Today I am a self-taught carver and as such my skills continue to grow with every projectt I like to think that my skill level increases with each piece for you do truly learn something with each & every project. Fellow carvers I have met along the way always seem most willing to share knowledge, tips & pointers but like everything else in life, you seem to always find one or maybe two that don't or are not. I call such people turds.
Decoy carving continues to be an area of interest in a commercial sense but the market hit a valley so I branched into shorebirds and tropical fish. The fish I started placing in waterless aquariums with either carved or real coral & rocks for a natural habitat and setting. Fish especially take far too much time & the return on time invested ranks with Third World wages. Can't compete & I don't try. Fish are always gifts or decorative items on the home front.
There are paintings, jewelry and signage rounding out the portfolio. Paintings take a lot of time and sometimes a LONG time to complete. Jewelry is stringing beads of various natural materials in classic colors & shapes sometimes with crosses.
Signs have become a favorite of late & are proving to be very popular. Probably because you have to work very carefully to find out what the customer wants and then deliver a stellar finished product.
Some of the completed projects are found here, on this site, at the GALLERY tab from the HOME page. The 'program' for the 2017 MAST tour was recently added & SUCCESSFULLY linked to the button. FINALLY !! It is a step on the journey and not the destination. As I continue to find time and the other necessary conditions, things will be both fine tuned and better organized. My daughter, First Born (FB) recently helped me set up a instagram-thing and once again I struggle with the unwritten rules there keeping things current and updated. I have concluded that that's my life.
Enjoy. But more importantly BUY.
Support LIVING artists. Dead ones don't need the money.