Why should you buy a painting from this man?
Because it keeps him busy making paintings
and drawings and not stealing your
car radio to make a living.

Also, buying art from him will not only make
your walls feel good but you'll feel good inside
for helping a terribly troubled individual.

Most of the following is true. Names were changed to protect the innocent.

A brief history... mostly true

Born July 10, 1946, a welcome home from the war, uh-oh we'd better get married, baby, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania he misspent his youth in a number of cities and towns in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. All these communities would prefer to remain anonymous to maintain property values. Despite the many moves, he denies his parents were ever in a witness protection program.

Struck down at age 2 with polio and paralyzed from the chest down, he was abandoned by his mother and left to be raised by hedgehogs. Kicked out of the hedgerow because of his inability to live on roots and insects, he spent the next four years in the care of his paternal grandmother, "...the finest woman who ever lived" according to Karl. She, along with his namesake, his Uncle Karl, an accomplished artist and musician in his own right, spent endless hours taking care of him.

Like many youngsters stricken during that time, the polio ran its course disappearing on its own after several years. Its only scar left him with one leg slightly shorter than the other. "A plus when marking out the kickball circle at school but a real bummer on nature hikes" says Karl.

He graduated in1964. (High school not grade school!) and avoided a serious commitment to college. This caused him to be drafted in 1965, whereupon he immediately joined the Air Force. Why? Because it was the right thing to do, because he was afraid to stick a pencil through his eardrum, because marriage was even scarier than combat, and Canada had not yet become a viable option.

After four wonderful, courts-martial free years he left the Air Force for the browner pastures of Arizona. (But it's a dry heat!) He really loved the Air Force and being in and around airplanes! Many people think that's why aircraft will sometimes show up in some of his paintings for no apparent reason.

Karl with his Combat Veteran co-pilot preparing to fly live aerial combat
(using lasers not bullets, silly) against another Fighter Combat aircraft.
Check out Fighter Combat International for more info about how you can fly missions just like this.

"FLY HARD"

Arriving in Arizona in 1969, he occasionally attended a couple of colleges, those being Phoenix College and Arizona State University, where he was socially promoted and received a BFA, MFA, and began work on his PhD (or as we say - buffa, muffa, phudd). During this period he won a number painting awards in shows that included Adolph Gottlieb as juror and the Jurors Award at the Four Corner Biennial at the Phoenix Art Museum. He began showing exclusively with the Suzanne Brown Gallery in Scottsdale.

From graduate assistant to visiting staff he was dispensable teaching life drawing, painting, watercolor, printmaking, design and art history.

Hired at Chandler High School in 1977 ( "My biggest mistake!", Al Pace Department Chairman would often lament) he taught art, was the yearbook advisor and coached wrestling and football. (No academically ineligible lineman during those years! Everybody plays!) He also coached a little Olympic developmental wrestling. (Yes... for our side!)

Due to a lack of qualified candidates and low expectations by all, he also served as the President of the Chandler Education Association, a tenure that set the teachers union back 20 years.

During this period he painted and showed locally with Suzanne Brown as well as galleries in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Karl says. "I was considered the most deserving "mercy booking" in Suzanne's gallery! Truth be told Suzanne gave me more time and energy than I probably deserved. She probably did more than just about anyone to keep me producing art and moving ahead with the images. I can never thank her enough for all she did for me.

His paintings toured with other southwest artists under a NEA grant and he participated in the R.A.F.T. (Recession Artists Float Trip) down the Grand Canyon and subsequent exhibitions and traveling shows.

Charged along with a female art teacher of committing a lascivious act with an Oreo cookie in the teacher's lounge his teaching career was on shaky ground but after five wonderful, felony-free years he left teaching to become a full time circus acrobat. Okay, actually it was to be a full time artist but a circus acrobat sounds more exciting. And safer.

During this time period Karl also served as the first Director of the Tempe Fine Arts Center where he quickly developed the philosophy that "... when they're running you out of town, turn around, wave your arms and make it look like you're leading the parade!" Of course, this actually slowed him down some and let the mob catch up. The tar and feathering was the subject of a National Public Radio report and the video was used as the model for the castle mob scene in "Frankenstein".

He has continued to paint and exhibit.

Karl says, "I've been married for 36, er, no, 37, no, 40 years, yeah 40years (really) to my high school sweetheart (really, really) Lynne. I have two children foolish enough to admit that I'm their father and a couple of grandkids that look forward to visiting me at the home for destitute artists and making fun of my catheter.

"I paint almost every day. Well maybe every other day. Well at least once a week... okay, okay, some passerbys saw me with a brush in my hand once" Karl admits. Lynne, the Studio Manager says, "Sometimes he even paints on things that were meant to be painted on like canvas and paper. It's those works you can buy and help pay for his medication. Your purchase will help keep our neighborhood safe. And besides... he was saying just the other day he was thinking of moving to your neighborhood if he didn't sell more art..."

Buy art ... save a car radio!

For a real selected show and collection record click here.

If you really want more information than what Karl and I've written here just e-mail me and I'll get back to you.

Lynne Dowhie

Studio manager and art prisoner.

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