Here's How It All Started
In The Beginning. As my wife jokingly reminds me how I tell a story😊
Born August 12 1943 Hamilton Ontario Canada
At the age of sixteen, I found my love of art and creating while visiting my artist uncle Jim.
He at the time was living in British Columbia on his chicken ranch.
That summer I learned what hard work really meant. Haha
After that, I knew I wanted to make my living by creating beautiful works of art. I didn’t really like the idea of the ‘starving artist lifestyle so at the age of 20 I became the proprietor of my own wrought iron business,( Artistic Iron), where I thrived. I made a good living and fulfilled my passion for the creation of beauty.
The National Ornamental Metal Manufacturers Association.
I received many Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards for my creations from The National Ornamental a USA membership.
NOMMA has annual conventions held across the US and I traveled to all of them, where I most often enjoyed the designated position of ‘Best in Show along with many Gold, bronze, and silver awards.
On one of these convention competitions trips, I took the gold award for a bouquet of roses I had hand forged from copper and brass. I made the roses a red fire color with my own conjured-up patina and the leaves a green patina. On the flight back to Canada, Margaret Trudeau the then-wife of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau was on the plane. I was introduced to her and with my wife’s permission, we decided to give her one of the three award-winning roses. This was poignant as the press had been referring to Margaret as “a rose in Pierre’s lapel”. Some years later my wife met Margaret at her book signing and they reminisced about meeting on the plane, where she mentioned that the rose had become a symbol of strength to her.
The T. Eaton Art Gallery Toronto, Bronze Sculptures shown 1969
In 1969 I was invited to have a one-man show. During the show, an art lover stole one of my pieces name” The Flypaper Salesman” This bronze sculpture depicted an 18 th century street hawker holding up a Pease of sticky flypaper. I guess the thief really did have sticky fingers. 😊
Teaching: President of the Burlington Sculptors Guild 1970/74
As president of the Burlington Sculptors Guild, I taught armature construction, the building up of the maquette, and the lost wax method of Bronze sculpting, including the pouring of the molten bronze.
President Ronal Reagan 1984
In 1984 President Ronal Reagan graciously accepted my bronze of his likeness riding a bucking bronco. This was in the time of an economic recession and the piece was aptly titled “R.R. Rides Rough Times”. Generally, gifts to heads of state become the property of The Smithsonian. President Reagan asked to keep “R.R. Rides Rough Times “in his own personal art collection.
I have seen it in a documentary displayed at his ranch in California.
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The City of Niagara Falls Ontario, Misty Commission 1998
The City of Niagara Falls Ontario commissioned me to design and create my vision of” Misty” the legendary Seneca maiden who sacrificed herself to the god of thunder, by jumping into the falls. She did this to free her people of a strange sickness that was rampant. This creation was used as the awards give out at the Niagara Falls award banquet
Sand sculpting commission Belgium Year 2000
My sand sculptures frequently took first place at the Fort Myers Beach competitions. Stemming from that I was invited to Belgium to create 24 ft high sand sculptures and stemming from that I was asked by the competition sponsor Volkswagen, to create their promo sculpture of their new SUV crashing though a block wall. All in sand .
The Monkey Commission 2005
A monkey, yes, a facsimile fiberglass sculpture of a 20-foot-tall monkey complete with symbols entertains at Silver Dollar City in Branson MO thanks to my being commissioned by the Herschend Entertainment Company.
My inventions and construction projects
I invented the LUCKY LOTTO SCRATCHER and appeared on the Dragon’s Den.
I have designed and built many commercial, industrial and residential buildings.
JC Industrial Mall Burlington ON, Friendly Square Burlington ON ,
King Arthur’s Court Burlington ON, Work N ‘Store Burlington ON
Lake Winds high rise condo Burlington ON
Along with several custom homes.
Go to my blog about this page.
I am working on this part. Please be patient Thank you.