You know, one of the most irritating things I see on other websites is
where the "about me" section is written in the third person as if a
famous reviewer or biographer had written it, rather than the owner of
the website. Something like, "Mr. LeMaster is an accomplished artist
and is recognized as... blah, blah, blah." You've all seen them. Well,
I've found that being straightforward is usually the best course, so if you
are interested in knowing anything about me, that's what you're going
to get. For example, that's actually me you see in the photo to the left.
It's recent, not one of those glamour shots from 15 years ago that people
use on their sites to look good. If you run your mouse over that photo,
you'll see another photo of me in New Zealand at about the time I really
became interested in art. So, I've been producing art in one form or
another for quite a long time. My father, a farm boy from Illinois,
where the "about me" section is written in the third person as if a
famous reviewer or biographer had written it, rather than the owner of
the website. Something like, "Mr. LeMaster is an accomplished artist
and is recognized as... blah, blah, blah." You've all seen them. Well,
I've found that being straightforward is usually the best course, so if you
are interested in knowing anything about me, that's what you're going
to get. For example, that's actually me you see in the photo to the left.
It's recent, not one of those glamour shots from 15 years ago that people
use on their sites to look good. If you run your mouse over that photo,
you'll see another photo of me in New Zealand at about the time I really
became interested in art. So, I've been producing art in one form or
another for quite a long time. My father, a farm boy from Illinois,
I had a scholarship in music to attend the University of Iowa, but turned it down to pursue a teaching degree at the University of
Northern Iowa in history and English. Nope, not art. I'm color-blind and although I continued to produce poetry and short
stories, my visual art was limited to pencil, charcoal and pen and ink, which I practiced every day. I never took any art courses
beyond art appreciation because I didn't think I was good enough. I graduated with a teaching degree in Spanish and was
offered a fellowship to be the first student in the new Master's Program. The Viet Nam War influenced almost every decision
young people made in those days and I opted to stay in school. I began grad school by taking 25 undergraduate Spanish students
to Colombia to study and I both studied and taught while there. When we returned, I finished my Master's degree and was
promptly offered a sizable fellowship to study for my PhD in Spanish at the University of Iowa, which I could hardly turn down.
Northern Iowa in history and English. Nope, not art. I'm color-blind and although I continued to produce poetry and short
stories, my visual art was limited to pencil, charcoal and pen and ink, which I practiced every day. I never took any art courses
beyond art appreciation because I didn't think I was good enough. I graduated with a teaching degree in Spanish and was
offered a fellowship to be the first student in the new Master's Program. The Viet Nam War influenced almost every decision
young people made in those days and I opted to stay in school. I began grad school by taking 25 undergraduate Spanish students
to Colombia to study and I both studied and taught while there. When we returned, I finished my Master's degree and was
promptly offered a sizable fellowship to study for my PhD in Spanish at the University of Iowa, which I could hardly turn down.
So for 5 more years I studied languages (we had to have a working knowledge of six
different languages) along with Spanish and Latin-American civilization, history,
literature, linguistics, etc. As luck would have it, I'd taken more courses than I actually
needed, but still had fellowship money left.
different languages) along with Spanish and Latin-American civilization, history,
literature, linguistics, etc. As luck would have it, I'd taken more courses than I actually
needed, but still had fellowship money left.
| Pencil Sketch |
and pen and ink work. Not for sculpture, though... I've never entered my eggs in any competition. Perhaps I will... someday.
I very quickly became disillusioned with teaching at the college level. Don't get me wrong, I
loved the teaching and I loved interacting with the students to our mutual benefit; but every
faculty meeting concerned how we could squeeze more money out of the Board of Regents,
or who did the best presentation at the last conference, who knew what the playwright Lope
de Vega was really trying to say and since he wrote 1,500 plays while Shakespeare only
wrote 26 during the same period of time, why Shakespeare became more famous. Whenever
I brought up the students, the value of what we were giving them or even the quality of our
teaching, the room would go silent and I'd get "the look" from everyone there. I had
previously put many professors up on pedestals, but those pedestals were crumbling and
after much soul-searching I decided to leave. While I was working in Administration at the
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, the Art Director caught wind of what I was doing
with eggshells and asked me to do a one-man show. It was unveiled on my birthday that
Fall and I had a blast standing among viewers of the exhibition listening to what they had to
say, until TV crews and newspapers had my face everywhere and I could no longer travel
incognito among the onlookers. I sold a satisfying number of eggs and frequently, around
Easter, some editor or producer would remember me and it would start all over again.
loved the teaching and I loved interacting with the students to our mutual benefit; but every
faculty meeting concerned how we could squeeze more money out of the Board of Regents,
or who did the best presentation at the last conference, who knew what the playwright Lope
de Vega was really trying to say and since he wrote 1,500 plays while Shakespeare only
wrote 26 during the same period of time, why Shakespeare became more famous. Whenever
I brought up the students, the value of what we were giving them or even the quality of our
teaching, the room would go silent and I'd get "the look" from everyone there. I had
previously put many professors up on pedestals, but those pedestals were crumbling and
after much soul-searching I decided to leave. While I was working in Administration at the
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, the Art Director caught wind of what I was doing
with eggshells and asked me to do a one-man show. It was unveiled on my birthday that
Fall and I had a blast standing among viewers of the exhibition listening to what they had to
say, until TV crews and newspapers had my face everywhere and I could no longer travel
incognito among the onlookers. I sold a satisfying number of eggs and frequently, around
Easter, some editor or producer would remember me and it would start all over again.
messages every day from people who wanted to know how to carve eggs. I began writing a beginner's book, but all of the kids
were still at home and had things in which my wife and I were both involved every night and weekend. At the time, I owned a
Corporate Recruiting firm and was a National Sales Trainer on the side and I found it impossible to remain motivated about the
book, but deadlines are good for me and I started The Eggshell Sculptor Magazine in 1998 so I could answer 100 questions once,
rather than one question 100 times a day. I've slowly built a small business providing other people around the world with
supplies, an instructional magazine, classes, and - soon - training videos. Although I'm far from being the best eggshell carver in
the world, most would probably say that I'm the best known carver since I have always supported this unique art so passionately.
were still at home and had things in which my wife and I were both involved every night and weekend. At the time, I owned a
Corporate Recruiting firm and was a National Sales Trainer on the side and I found it impossible to remain motivated about the
book, but deadlines are good for me and I started The Eggshell Sculptor Magazine in 1998 so I could answer 100 questions once,
rather than one question 100 times a day. I've slowly built a small business providing other people around the world with
supplies, an instructional magazine, classes, and - soon - training videos. Although I'm far from being the best eggshell carver in
the world, most would probably say that I'm the best known carver since I have always supported this unique art so passionately.
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| Gary LeMaster ◦ 3625 Elgin Drive ◦ Iowa City ◦ IA ◦ 52245 Ph. (319) 338-2094 Fax (319) 339-9133 Email eggzotica@mchsi.com |
| Website created by Gary LeMaster • All contents © 1996 - 2011 by Gary LeMaster and The Eggshell Sculptor, LLC |
| ~ About The Artist ~ Gary LeMaster |
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fibbed about his age in order to serve in WWII, where he met my mother when he was stationed in New
Zealand. She was a sophisticated young lady who practiced ballet and Scottish Highland dancing and was
collecting quite a few medals and trophies for her efforts. Opposites attract, they say, and the story of them
getting together after the war is a touching one. Ask me about it sometime. The point is that I grew up
learning how to use tools, do woodworking (to my father's specs) while also listening to classical music
and gaining a deep appreciation of the fine arts from my mother.
Zealand. She was a sophisticated young lady who practiced ballet and Scottish Highland dancing and was
collecting quite a few medals and trophies for her efforts. Opposites attract, they say, and the story of them
getting together after the war is a touching one. Ask me about it sometime. The point is that I grew up
learning how to use tools, do woodworking (to my father's specs) while also listening to classical music
and gaining a deep appreciation of the fine arts from my mother.
| "Circumlocution" - Pen and Ink |
As you might guess, I hustled myself over to the Art Department to enroll in some
beginning art courses, full of excitement and dreams. When I tried to enroll, they refused,
saying that I was a grad student and, thus, couldn't take undergraduate classes. The only
possibility would be to take graduate classes in art, but I'd first have to be accepted and
admitted, and for that to happen I would have to present a portfolio of my work to the
graduate faculty who would judge me either worthy of them or not. With my lack of
confidence, I'll never know why I put together some of my work and stood before that
stern-looking semi-circle of frowning faces. They asked me to leave the room and it
seemed an eternity before I was called back. In fact, I'd almost fled in the meantime.
When I stood before them again, I was greeted with smiles, handshakes and
congratulations on being admitted. You could have knocked me over with a feather! I
ended up knocking myself over with beer, I believe, but that was long before I'd quit
drinking. Thus, I began taking graduate art courses and wished every day that I'd had
enough confidence to have been an undergraduate art major to begin with, but life takes
some strange paths at times. In any event, I thoroughly enjoyed every class I took. I've
since won numerous awards for my artwork, especially for book covers and for my pencil
beginning art courses, full of excitement and dreams. When I tried to enroll, they refused,
saying that I was a grad student and, thus, couldn't take undergraduate classes. The only
possibility would be to take graduate classes in art, but I'd first have to be accepted and
admitted, and for that to happen I would have to present a portfolio of my work to the
graduate faculty who would judge me either worthy of them or not. With my lack of
confidence, I'll never know why I put together some of my work and stood before that
stern-looking semi-circle of frowning faces. They asked me to leave the room and it
seemed an eternity before I was called back. In fact, I'd almost fled in the meantime.
When I stood before them again, I was greeted with smiles, handshakes and
congratulations on being admitted. You could have knocked me over with a feather! I
ended up knocking myself over with beer, I believe, but that was long before I'd quit
drinking. Thus, I began taking graduate art courses and wished every day that I'd had
enough confidence to have been an undergraduate art major to begin with, but life takes
some strange paths at times. In any event, I thoroughly enjoyed every class I took. I've
since won numerous awards for my artwork, especially for book covers and for my pencil
When my first website went up in 1996, I began getting 100 to 150 calls, letters or email
Well, there you have the not-so-quick synopsis... If anyone is crazy enough to want more details, by all means call or email me
at your convenience. Perhaps knowing a little about me will help you understand or even enjoy my art a bit more. ~GL
at your convenience. Perhaps knowing a little about me will help you understand or even enjoy my art a bit more. ~GL
