As a youngster I donned them with their new names, titles that stuck for 20 years and ones that were used by many not just me. I called Grandpa “Bill” because he reminded me of someone else named Bill. Touching, I know. Grandma was dubbed “Kernie” very creatively considering their last name is Kern.

When I talk about my “great grandparents” visions of elderly, immobile people in nursing homes may come to mind. That is not the case with mine. They were active; they were fun. Great Grandpa was the dad I never had. He fixed my tricycle when I was too young to ride a bicycle and my bike when I was too old to ride the trike. He took me on afternoon fishing trips and taught me my favorite pastime to this day – swinging on a swingset.

Great Grandma baked the sweets and if she found out I really liked something, she baked it way too often until I could stomach it no more. There was always food on the lunch table even if it never was quite enough to feed a growing teenager. She always offered hugs and love, no matter what.

For years, my Wednesday nights were filled with card playing nights at their house. Pitch and cribbage were the games. Many fun memories remain just like great Grandma’s competitive nature still remained strong well into her 80′s. We still swear she cheated every now and then. On Halloween we all would escape to the Golden Corral to hide from the growing number of little monsters that came knocking. After all, the great Grandparents were products of the Great Depression and I was the one who had to be the messenger at the door, the one who had to hand out the cheap black and orange candy we’ve all skipped over in our trick or treat baskets. One kid even tried to force his way into the house exclaiming “Don’t you have anything else in here?”

5 and a half years ago while I was a freshman in college, I received the call I didn’t want to ever hear – Grandpa Bill wasn’t well and I should come home. It was an unexpected shock since it was Grandma Kernie we all felt was slipping. I made the 5 hour drive just in time. I was able to hold his hand, tell him I loved him and he passed away on October 28th, 2003 at the age of 85. I still miss him. As I said, he was basically my father and the bond between a boy and his dad is a tough one to say goodbye to.

Grandma Kernie remained strong, but she was never the same. How could she be? They were married for 65 years and then one day her best friend was gone. I visited her often on breaks and over the summer, but she continually slipped. I am very thankful for the past year, a year in which I was able to take care of her on a daily basis. One week ago I got the same phone call, made a similar drive, held her hand, told her she was loved and on February 9th, 2009 she passed away.

I’m not saddened by their passing. I know they’re in a better place and that I’ll see them again. They lived long lives, at times I’m sure they seemed unbearably hard. Their strength and commitment was inspiring. From losing everything in the Great Depression, to the draft of WWII, to the plain, old fashioned American hard work – through it all they remained faithful to each other and to family. They deserve to rest without the pain of old age. No, I’m saddened that all the wonderful memories I have of them are just that, memories, and that there will be no new ones made.

The empires and fortunes we build on earth fade quickly, but our legacy lives on in the family we leave behind. Theirs is a strong one and something I aspire to.

In memory of Bill and Kernie. Thank you for all the years and all the laughs and all the love.

Creston Clifford Kern – November 29th, 1918 – October 28th, 2003
Elsie Margaret Johnson Kern – August 13th, 1919 – February 9th, 2009

Related posts:

1. Competitions I finally entered The United Plates into its 5th and...
2. The Insyderz So I continue on down my trail of memories –...
3. Grammatrain I grew up a huge fan of Grammatrain/Pete Stewart. The...

For me, it’s tough to describe art and I always have preferred to look at it than talk about it. Sometimes I feel as though art gets weighed down in intellectual discussion that people forget to enjoy the piece. Matte’s art is perfect for enjoying.

When I set out to be an artist full-time, one of my number one goals was personally responding to e-mails regarding my work. If someone takes the time to write in and say “Hey, I like your work” I think it’s only fair to write back a response. E-mail has made corresponding so lackadaisical that I find e-mails go by ignored. Now that I’ve started to receive responses and e-mails, I can see why it’s tougher to follow up, but I still take time each day to personally respond to everyone. Being an artist and being cordial and friendly can coexist. If I’m kind and share advice on what I’ve learned thus far (but not insider tips on technique, haha) I just never know what might come back to me.

It’s safe to say that Matte is a very cordial artist. He’s a good guy, responds quickly, and offers up great advice from the things he’s learned in his 15 years as an artist. So if you like his work, message him and let him know. Good feedback is what we strive for as an artist. I believe that Matte gets his fair share of love and his work is more than deserving off all the praise and more.

Matte’s Blog
Matte’s Etsy Shop. Support the arts, buy something from him. His gocco prints are sweet.

Related posts:

1. About the US Presidents After much delay (most of which was out of my...
2. Topeka Capital-Journal Article This excellent article on my United Plates series appeared in...
3. 2010 Preview Typically I don’t make plans to break them, I just...

Being an artistic type, I’ve always been attracted to cover art first and music second. So much so, that sometimes if the art is excellent it makes the music just a little bit better. But when I was 13, I didn’t seem to dig too deep beyond liking the cover. Now that I’m 24, however, I live to know who made what cover and what the rest of their portfolio.

With the recent news that Grammatrain has reunited, I pulled out Flying again for the first time in what’s likely been 5 years. Though it’s now 12 years old, I still think the layout looks good. So I decided to check and see if there were any credits listed for the cover artist. Lo and behold, there was! Lo and behold, I know who he is! Lo and behold, he was one of my inspirations in college! A prof even used his work in a lecture. Who might this be?

None other than Gary Taxali. The original painting was done for the Japanese Red Cross for victims of The Great Hanshin, an earthquake that struck Japan in 1995 where it traveled in around the country and was sold in a gallery there. How Grammatrain discovered the painting, I wish I knew. But one things for sure, I’ll always love that cover. The music is still as good as it used to be as well. Definitely feels “90s” but I miss that sound these days.

For those interested, check out some Grammatrain jams here. “Jonah” “Pain” and “Flying” are still fantastic. For fans of grunge/post grunge. There was a small discussion about their reunion on Indie Vision Music

Related posts:

1. Fold Zandura I love this band. I’ve been listening to them since...
2. M Ward – Hold Time This release snuck up on me. Tuesday came around once...
3. Kasabian | West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum Artist: Kasabian Album: West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum Release Date:...