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"Artist's Rendition" by Keith Syvinski

Sometimes you run into people with whom you should become better acquainted. This year, our little family decided to visit the Indiana State Fair. We did the typical fair activities. We sampled the fair food, looked at exhibits, checked out the midway, etc. We were heading back home for the day when we saw a booth, which offered caricature drawings. So, my wife and I agreed that a drawing of our new baby would be an awesome keepsake. Now, I wish I had heard of the name Swartzentruber before I stopped in. The next time I see the Swartzentruber booth, I'll be sure to stop in.

Let's take a closer look at the artist. In the photos, below, the pink sheet above his drawing hand reads: ABOUT THE ARTIST: Don Michael Swartzentruber * Entertains at company parties, wedding receptions, and special events. Creates mail order caricatures from photographs. * Started professionally in 1983 touring New England, East Coast and the Midwest at over hundred festivals/corporate clients. Clients include: MetLife, Notre Dame, Sony, The Delaware Symphony, I.U. Cheerleaders, TV Guide, and branches of the Government. * Studied with Disney animator, & completed undergraduate degree from Grace College. Holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from Vermont College of Norwich University. * A recipient of Indiana Arts Commission & the National Endowment grants, he exhibits his contemporary art in galleries and museums throughout the Unites States. * Lives in Winona Lake with wife and 2 sons, teaches secondary and college art courses. Limits most of his appearances to the Chicago, Detroit, and Indianapolis area to allow for more time with family and studio practice. Now, I'm a simple guy, and I'm not sure what all that means. However, I visited his website at http://www.swARTzentruber.com/, and everything seemed much clearer all of a sudden. I was impressed. This guy has crazy visions in his mind. There's some really powerful imagery. I briefly explored some of the background of his subject matter, and I found myself in a strange new world. If I was going to be an artist, I would create stuff just like this. It's awesome.

Let's talk about some skill. This guy doesn't waste any time. For me, it was worth the money just to see him work pencil, marker, and pastel so masterfully. Every movement was intentional... like Kung Fu! You could definitely tell he has done this many, many times. Above, where it is mentioned that he does private parties and receptions... well, I think Mr. Swartzentruber would be a really cool guy to have at an event. That would be pretty fancy. Talk about your all-time cool souvenir. I must mention that he is also masterful in his professional demeanor. When Mr. Swartzentruber was finished, I asked him if he would pose, with Cassandra, for a photo. He was more than happy to do so. That's a very cool thing for him to do. Now, we have a multi-dimensional memoir of Cassandra's first state fair experience. We have the artwork, along with a photo of the artist, the art, and the subject. It's a great addition to the scrapbook. Many thanks to Mr. Swartzentruber for creating a fantastic keepsake and for allowing me to use these images and a reproduction of his finished work, for this weblog entry. leosynapse.blogspot.com Tuesday, August 23, 2005