Strumming, humming, arts, and crafting for over 50 years.
I have loved the sound and feel of a guitar most of my life. Though tuning in the early days, using a "pitch pipe," was not very successful. That was not going to stop me from playing this instrument. I enjoyed creating tones by easing and tightening the tuners while plucking strings and would "slide" whatever items that were available along the strings - sonic bliss! (My brother remembers those years as the "noise" he endured.) Oh well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and music speaks to the soul.
Shop classes in high school introduced me to the transformational magic of wood; how a rough hewn, non-descript block can be made into a very tactile object with a grain pattern that captures one's eye and tells the story of its source. Also during this time I worked at an auto body shop as a paint finisher. Mastering the art of sanding out "orange peel" lacquer and buffing it to a mirror gloss sheen.
I went to college in New Orleans, the land where music is as vital as breathing. My passion for sound lead me to the role of radio disc jockey, and my craft background transformed into art, with classes in drawing, ceramics and blown glass. My work was recognized with several exhibition honors and I secured a job as a metal finisher for Lin Emery, a pioneer in kinetic sculpture.
After college wanderlust took over. I guess I fell victim to the romantic notion of a vagabond, hobo lifestyle; traveling throughout the southern United States and Mexico then on to California. This ended with me being penniless and living in the East Village of New York City. I worked as a "gallery rat" for a while, installing exhibits and delivering art for Tony Schafrazi. The fine arts were fun, but not very profitable and over the years I moved into the commercial arts, reaching the role of Executive Producer of a television commercial production company.
I met the woman who became my wife and we moved to Annapolis, Maryland. I tried the conventional careers of car salesman, mortgage banker, and corporate trainer, but the arts and music still called loudly. I became a substitute teacher in the public school system, set up a wood shop/art studio in my basement and my wife gave me a Yamaha acoustic guitar as a Christmas gift. My art has been exhibited in numerous galleries in the United States, I have been informed a piece is in a museum in San Francisco, and someone from the Netherlands contacted me saying that one my sculptures is now in Europe. If you would like to see my "fine art" work, do a YouTube search of my name and/or visit Saatchiart.com.
My guitar collection has grown to include a 12 string, classic, Fender Strat, banjo and a Strumstick. Being "house-bound" this past year, like most people, I have been binge watching YouTube videos and I came across work by Justin Johnson playing a 3-string cigar box guitar. Only three strings, a variety of tunings, works great with a slide, blues or country music that can come from the soul and not necessarily a sheet of music and if you plug it into an amp (with or without effects) - oh, the sonic bliss - I want one of them!
So, I learned how to make them and now offer them to anyone else who has the spirit of a strummer and a hummer, though picking them is fun too.
Each one is a unique piece of folk art, founded in a depression era when a song provided hope and sustenance, and sonic bliss could be attained by cobbling together a piece of wood, some string and a box. Born in the blues, played for the joy.
This is a brief account of my history and skill that goes into every guitar I make. I hope one of my guitars become a part of your history to be shared and passed along for generations to come.
I wish you many days of strumming and humming.
Thank you for your visit, and an extra thank you if you purchase a guitar.