Yes I am going to date myself, I have been blessed to live and work prior to the digital age. As a child I always painted and created. I built and dreamt with my hands and heart. Those influences proved to be to my advantage through my entire life.

As a child, I snuck into a local sign shop called S.S. Coe, got scolded and schooled, but my persistence was rewarded every time stock-car season rolled around. The old timers lettered cars day and night, beer and paint. I was 9-10 years old and I learned to hand letter on stock cars. One of the old timers, Ronald Listman was so awesome, he had to be in his late eighties when I first met him. I had a crush on his grand daughter, she and I went to school together. But I didn’t know that until much later.

Turned out Ron had worked for Walt Disney when Walt was just starting out. Ron called himself an pictorial artist and ticket-maker (a term for movie poster maker), designing characters with Walt, hand lettering for the credits of the first Disney movies and of course, many Disney posters where all hand crafted by Ron Listman.

Ron participated in the creation of the characters like Mickey and Minny Mouse, Donald Duck, and many others. ‘Donald,’ Ronald said was jokingly verbally created by Walt originally using “Ronald’s name” while brainstorming in the studio, but morphed into “Donald”while on the drawing board. In fact—Donald as many other Disney characters where created on the very draft board (easel) that he had given me, and I still use.

He had worked at Disney’s studio in to the depression and moved back to Sioux City, Iowa, he said to take a break after the war. Mr. Listman was a spectacular pictorial artist that inspired me to the 10th degree.  As did the other old timers including 2nd generation sign sop owner Ned Adams the owner of S.S. Coe sign shop. Ron always said, “speed and skill equalled money!” He proven himself right over and over! Beer and quickness meant for straighter – smoother lines. For me, the years went by and that pictorial line of work was all I had on my mind, and it became my career.

Needless to say I became a pictorial artist and a layout artist in the outdoor advertising business. Working for Avery Brothers Sign Company was a kicker. I was working for a Family Farm Store called Bomgaars. My son was born while working there. I told a co-worker at work that I was very unhappy not doing what I loved. This co-worker was a preacher man named Fred Penner he could play songs with a saw, and he told me to give Avery Brothers a hard time every day until they hired me — make’m mad tired of you.

It toke less than a month, relentlessly-every day at lunch time and it really toke old man Chuck Avery getting so mad at me that one day he put me to the test hand lettering and had me throw paint on a Mexican restaurant pictorial. He barked, I’ll have to redo all the bull-shtuf that Ron and Ned put in your head! But, you are hired, you can start tomorrow.

I got hired- thanks to that fun loving, saw playing preacher man who worked with me at the farm store. I almost got fired at the farm store for being so late after lunch that day. While I was getting chewed out – waiting for the manager to shut up, I give him my two week notice, I thought a bit, it figured out to be an opportune time to ask him if I could leave sooner- since he was already pissed and all. My wages doubled that day. My wife was awesome about it. Thank you again preacher man – Fred!

I witnessed the advertising field convert from hand craftsmanship to the digital age. It was both sad and awesome. I embraced the eventual changes, the very first version of Adobe 1.0, Coral Draw, Spreadsheets, writing, art, movies and advertising — All on a computer, once done by hand.

When the digital age began I jumped right in with both feet! I knew that old school hand-craftsmanship would make for a highly successful combination when thrown into the mix of digital. It still required craftsmanship. 

Now that AI (artificial intelligence) has come along, things are changing from digital to an integral pursuit, kind of an Aquarius age. Any real hippie back then might be totally shocked. Yet again both sad and exciting. So, in effect I do believe this will eventually make real red blooded artists even more valuable in the near future, maybe rare — thus even more valuable.

Anyone could run a computer, but not everyone can compose effective designs. That requires real craftsmanship and a whole lot of proper human context. (Mojo) Though, AI will quickly catch up. 

Craftsmanship and skill along with the digital revolution earned me a position as a art director for a multi-periodical magazine publisher. Working on national high-profile sports and entertainment projects.

One of the best realizations I received was the memories that were triggered, the reflections of the adventures I had growing up. Visceral hand-made artwork. I realized the path I had taken, only seemed to be a natural one, that dreams aren’t just dreams-they’re attainable. I had also learned to be agile and willing to change when needed.d