The
Original 1979 Pittsburg Street Photograph.
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A Face Full Of Life Experiences
One of Lee Griffiths' favorite faces:
Lee created his original artwork based on the photograph shown here
and he tells me that he has used this person's face on steel... a
Sharps buffalo rifle, ivory and now on a buffalo nickel. This fellow
has a wonderful face for the purpose and he was originally captured
on film on the streets of Pittsburg in 1979. Lee didn't get the full
photograph but apparently this person was handing a violin to a child
when the photographer captured the moment for posterity. Lee thinks
the fellow was a street person... or whatever the politically correct
phrase is now-a-days ...but has no specific information. I wanted to
capture the uses that Lee put this wonderfully expressive face to and
share them with you here.
Original Artwork(left),
On Ivory(center) and On A Buffalo Nickel(right).
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First Nickel Carvings:
Lee is an experienced engraver and engraving teacher so he didn't
have to start from scratch. He already had the engraving skills
necessary to create top quality nickel carvings. Now then...
how do I heap adequate superlatives on Lee's work? Perhaps simply
showing you his very first carvings will suffice.
Professor(left),
Street Fiddler(center) and Betty Boop(right).
GLENDO Corporation -
GRS Instructor:
Lee Griffiths lives on a farm in Idaho surrounded by a wide
variety of animal and plant life. Encouraged by his father years ago,
Lee developed his art skills as a boy and progressed through formal
education under renowned wildlife artist, Leon Parson. Lee's art is
a passion as simple as pen and ink, as traditional as portraits, and
as challenging as delicate scene engraving on firearms. When Lee
teaches art to others, he especially enjoys helping people progress
at their own pace. This provides a learning opportunity for both
naturally artistic students and those who may be apprehensive about
the artwork aspect of metal engraving. Lee began engraving with the
hammer and chisel method and switched to GraverMax which he credits
with rapidly accelerating his progress. He has earned the title of
Professional Engraver from the Firearms Engravers Guild of
America.
One Honking Dragon.
Unbridled Imagination
and Talent:
Since Lee came to nickel carving as a professional artist he is
blessed with the ability to create original artwork for use as a
basis for his nickel carvings. Lee's fourth carving was sold with
his original artwork... a definite value added situation!
Verne R. Walrafen
OHNS#620
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