MR KNOW IT ALL KIND OF Posted September 13, 2007 Report Share Posted September 13, 2007 My Last Thread! Thanks for all your help. My friends here can still pm me. FINDING "THE ART OF GREATNESS" in life. What's yours? I found a strange email in my inbox the other day. The sender asked if I had read this forum on the internet! He said it seems you have a fan!! I thought the only fan I had was my mom!! and even she thinks I charge too much for shipping!!! I had never heard of the website or this forum he was talking about but, im human so I had to look!! Wow people I dont even know are talking about me and the lures I sell on ebay on another website! One guy said Tater HOG RULES!!!! That made me feel good... Some thought it was self promotion...Heck I do enough of that on ebay and in my listings.!! I dont need to go on other sites and self promote. I dont have the time..If your work is good they will buy it..If it works they will buy more. I know I get alot of repeat customers. I know there are lots that love my "artwork" but I also have my critics.. everyone has an opinion. You can't please everyone all the time. Sometimes the hardest person in life to please is yourself. Art is in the eye of the beholder. What some call "Art" others will call a fishing lure with paint! I didnt make the lure for this auction. I have to thank Lucky Craft for that.. Like I said the lure is just my canvas. You might think Im a little nuts... or you will close your mind to my work. Some on that forum said there are others that can do it better than the Hog man he is not as great as he thinks he is!! Heck Im my biggest critic. I even agree with them from time to time. My painting gets better everyday! The best is yet to come. But that is choice of the critic and their perspective.. My work may not have any meaning or appeal to your senses. And you might not find the "Art" in my craft. However... . I looked up the meaning of ART and I thought I would pass it on..Did I ever say I was the the best lure painter in the world? I might have said the best on ebay!!! But I will explain the meaning of "The Best" later in this message. There are tons of great painters out their with famous pasts and professional backing!! Please dont compare me to them. Im trying to go beyond the norm in this cut throat industry. I never want to be compared to the greats. I put my paints on everday just like they do. I want to break away and paint to a different drum." Im just a guy from Middletown, USA! There's nothing to compare. Im a nut case!! WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND CALLS THEMSELF "TATER HOG"! (made you smile) Im not trying to be the BEST at painting a fishing lure! Im trying to find the "Art of Greatness" in my life. Who am I ? Isnt that the real question in everyone's life? Who are you? I paint lures for the love of the sport! For the passion I have for my family, people, art and fishing. I found something in my life I enjoy to do!!!! My success just didnt appear on ebay! (My first lure only sold for 6 bucks!!!) I have been a member on ebaysince 2001.. It has come from hard work, late hours, support from family,friends and lots and lots of failures. Yes anyone can paint and some can paint very well!! But do they just paint or do they try to find the greatness in what they are doing? I know I strive too! The lures I paint and the stories I tell from time to time have meaning to me and others. Its my "ART." My sweat! My time! Maybe you will catch more fish! Maybe you wont! (I pray on each lure before I ship them..If your still waiting on your lure you needed a stronger blessing.."Lord please let this guy catch more and bigger fish.") Maybe I made you laugh after you read about "Tater Hog and the fictional town of Taterville."....You might never buy or cast my work. That's ok! I understand some lures dont appeal to me either.. I just hope you still see the effort and the passion I put into them. They really do take alot of time to complete. I could do them faster and for less money. But their goes the quality I set as my standard. If I did that I would be cheating myself and the customers that purchase them from me. If you dont catch the fish of a lifetime or win a tournament with one of the lures I touched. Im very sorry. I can live with myself because I know I gave you my best effort and tried to help your confidence along your journey. If you do catch more fish or that once in a lifetime hog. Never under estimate the power of prayer. Are my custom painted lures "ART"? and Are they the Best painted lures in the country? Heck I think the food I cook is great but my kids dont eat it!!! Usually the cook always loves his food. WHAT DOES THE BEST REALLY MEAN? Everyone of us can be great at whatever stimulates our thoughts. I truely believe man was created for that very purpose.. If you have a passion! A meaning! and a goal! Anything in life is possible!! Even if all you ever do is create a new fishing lure pattern for a fisherman to fish. Your passion might be something else. "What is your Art of Greatness?" Here is what I define as mine: My Art of greatness is to never give up on my passions even in my failures! How do you know what success is without disappointments. Nobody is the best at everything they do!! We all have strengths and weaknesses. YET ALL OF US CAN STRIVE TO BE GREAT! If we see the greatness in ourselves. If you can't see it? Look up! Someone else still sees greatness in you. So Tater you never told us!!!!!What is "ART"?.... OH YEAH SORRY I ALMOST FORGOT!!! Leo Tolstoy identified art as a use of indirect means to communicate from one person to another. Art expresses emotions, and that the work of art therefore essentially exists in the mind of the creator. Generally art is a (product of) human activity, made with the intention of stimulating the human senses as well as the human mind; by transmitting emotions and/or ideas. Beyond this description, there is no general agreed-upon definition of art, since defining the boundaries of "art" is subjective, but the impetus for art is often called human creativity. (Source Wikipedia) When your feeling empty without hope and purpose in life!!! Blaming others for unsuccessful events. Running away from problems rather than at them. Look in the mirror and recreate the man looking back. Find grace in the man you are and the man you want to be. I heard a song the other day that never had much meaning to me until I read the lyrics.. I have been listening to it this week. I thought about a good friend of mine that is having a tuff time at the momment. We all have been their. The song is timeless. It should have gotten more credit for just how great it really is!!! "Solsbury Hill" by Peter Gabriel .. Here are the lyrics if you want to read them. I suggest you download the song and listen to the words. It has great meaning and maybe will lift up your spiritual side. I could careless what my lure sells for on this auction! Some of you might think this is the dumbest listing you have ever saw on ebay! But, like I said before. Im not the norm. If one person reads this listing and it changes their life for the good. I did something GREAT! A whole lot greater than painting a fishing lure. I will say that much for sure. But don't thank me, thank Peter. He's the real artist.. Im just the guy that took meaning from his art. And expressed the emotions his song past to me. Solsbury Hill Climbing up on solsbury hill I could see the city light Wind was blowing, time stood still Eagle flew out of the night He was something to observe Came in close, I heard a voice Standing stretching every nerve I had to listen had no choice I did not believe the information Just had to trust imagination My heart was going boom boom, boom Son, he said, grab your things, Ive come to take you home. To keeping silence I resigned My friends would think I was a nut Turning water into wine Open doors would soon be shut So I went from day to day Tho my life was in a rut till I thought of what Id say Which connection I should cut I was feeling part of the scenery I walked right out of the machinery My heart was going boom boom boom Hey, he said, grab your things, Ive come to take you home. Yeah back home When illusion spin her net Im never where I want to be And liberty she pirouette When I think that I am free Watched by empty silhouettes Who close their eyes, but still can see No one taught them etiquette I will show another me Today I dont need a replacement Ill tell them what the smile on my face meant My heart was going boom boom boom Hey, I said, you can keep my things, theyve come to take me home. Art to me means "finding your passion and expressing your emotions to others" All of us can be the BEST.. But their will always be someone that does it better. That is the spirit of human existance.. To do something better than the next person. "Greatness is defined by many in different ways. To many, greatness is defined as an ideal that is used as a goal to which many strive to achieve." Will we ever reach it? Only time will tell.. But we cant quit trying! You never fail until you quit trying. Am I a great artist? Im trying to be! But, I sure hope that isn't what defines me. My goal is to be a great father. A great husband! and most important a great person. That is the greatness I hope my life is defined by...its my ideal and the goals I strive to achieve. ITS MY ART OF GREATNESS! "To be the person I want to be." To my friend, "Hang in their Clayton!!! Things happen for reasons we cant explain and dont understand. Stay strong and never loose your hope. Time heals. A wise man once told me. It isnt fame or fortune that defines a man. Its how he overcomes struggles in life. Even in the worst of times." That my friend is "Greatness!" Your friend, Matt (aka The Rookie on TU!! T.H. on Ebay) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lure--Prof Posted September 13, 2007 Report Share Posted September 13, 2007 You is alright there Tater Hog Rookie! Hang in there and keep painting those killer colors. Remember that everything always turns out just exactly like it is supposed to! Come and see us when you get a chance, you always bring a smile with you! Say Hi to all the folks in Taterville for me. Some of_________________guys ran me outa town for awhile but I'll be back (I won't say who, but some say he has fat fingers). Dean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjbass Posted September 13, 2007 Report Share Posted September 13, 2007 I think the "Tater Hog" has been breathing too many paint fumes...lol Rod Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted September 13, 2007 Report Share Posted September 13, 2007 Rook, we'll miss you. If you aren't giving up personal computing, say hello occasionally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffG Posted September 13, 2007 Report Share Posted September 13, 2007 I am sorry to hear you ar leaving when I just was reallying getting to find out who the rookie AKA tater hog was. I am jealous of your paint jobs and we be honest that i have saved many pictures you have posted to use as templates for what I will paint. Please come back and visit and share your input even if is is only thru a PM. I will continue to watch the tater on ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lure--Prof Posted September 13, 2007 Report Share Posted September 13, 2007 He's not going anywhere guys, he's just not going to start any more threads! Dean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bamabass Posted September 16, 2007 Report Share Posted September 16, 2007 Man. im gonna miss these posts. Lure pimps and mexican prisons. well im sure everyone on tu will miss you and i know i will and best luck to you.I really found alot in the wise words of tater hogg:lol: and i understand where you are coming from. Keep those high priced lures coming!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pikeman Posted September 16, 2007 Report Share Posted September 16, 2007 He's not going anywhere guys, he's just not going to start any more threads!Dean but I can't imagine why Cause One guy said Tater HOG RULES!!!! ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
