Jonathan Tait Nelson
I was born on August 17th, 1970 at Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I joke with my brothers that the first words I remember our mom whispering to me was that I was now her favorite.
But really... I was.
She was the one who began me on my initial creative journey.
She showed me that it was ok to draw, to play music, to sing, to paint and do other crafts.
We painted ceramics with her. I copied her excellent rosemaling with my feeble but cute ballpoint pen attempts at the elaborate swirls of leaves and flowers. And when in 6th grade or so, she taught a community class on calligraphy that I sat in on as well as a couple of my classmates.
I was also a nut not far fallen from my father. He was a man that threw himself into history appreciation and the quest to understand more about that history as well as a deep curiosity of science that had him reading constantly... Books and magazines, newsletters and scientific papers. He was a curious soul.
And he loved to write. He spent the majority of his day in front of a typewriter typing labels up for prescription bottles. His fast typing ability was caged up like a wild mustang in a small pen. He longed to let go and tell his stories of history and things from his imagination and when the store was closed, he'd roll in a piece of paper and just write. I remember him taking writing classes and submitting little articles here and there but he was never published. When he passed away, we found the box of his half-started, half-finished but fully unique writings from Bob.
I cherish all the aspects that I acquired from both of them. The culmination of the influences of my environment is only now becoming self-realized; well after they have both left this earth. One of my deepest regrets is not showing them the appreciation they deserved, but in the same sense, that has become a major motivating factor for me to push forward and cherish my time here and utilize the abilities they've given me.
It's too late to waste any more time. I need to get serious and create.
I was born on August 17th, 1970 at Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I joke with my brothers that the first words I remember our mom whispering to me was that I was now her favorite.
But really... I was.
She was the one who began me on my initial creative journey.
She showed me that it was ok to draw, to play music, to sing, to paint and do other crafts.
We painted ceramics with her. I copied her excellent rosemaling with my feeble but cute ballpoint pen attempts at the elaborate swirls of leaves and flowers. And when in 6th grade or so, she taught a community class on calligraphy that I sat in on as well as a couple of my classmates.
I was also a nut not far fallen from my father. He was a man that threw himself into history appreciation and the quest to understand more about that history as well as a deep curiosity of science that had him reading constantly... Books and magazines, newsletters and scientific papers. He was a curious soul.
And he loved to write. He spent the majority of his day in front of a typewriter typing labels up for prescription bottles. His fast typing ability was caged up like a wild mustang in a small pen. He longed to let go and tell his stories of history and things from his imagination and when the store was closed, he'd roll in a piece of paper and just write. I remember him taking writing classes and submitting little articles here and there but he was never published. When he passed away, we found the box of his half-started, half-finished but fully unique writings from Bob.
I cherish all the aspects that I acquired from both of them. The culmination of the influences of my environment is only now becoming self-realized; well after they have both left this earth. One of my deepest regrets is not showing them the appreciation they deserved, but in the same sense, that has become a major motivating factor for me to push forward and cherish my time here and utilize the abilities they've given me.
It's too late to waste any more time. I need to get serious and create.