Of Flames of Steel

I decided I should check out Latisha's website. I haven't seen it in awhile, and I thought, hey, I could add her to my favorite sites list. After all, she is a happening young woman in the world of bike painting and engraving, a fine artist in every sense of the word. I want to talk about her so others can read about her, check her art work out. There is only one word for my niece: she is AWESOME!

I take that back... she is beyond awesome. She had more talent in high school than some artists have when they graduate from art school. Okay, so I'm a proud aunt.

If you have ever watched "American Chopper," particularly back in 2003-04, you saw her work. One of the last bikes she painted was the David Mann bike. Using an engraving technique that she developed, she painted the bike in flames of crimson, and recieved outstanding reviews.

I remember when she was a toddler, when her father was killed in a motorcycle accident on his way home from work, leaving her and four other siblings without a dad. TC was only 10 months old at the time. She doesn't remember the man who passed on his artistic talent to her. He lives on in his daughter today, there is no doubt in my mind.

Those were hard years for the family living in San Bernardino, California. When I first met her father, before she was born, I liked him right away. A generous man with an easy laugh, he fell in love with my sister and her four children. TC was born a year or so later, destined to follow her father's footsteps. None of us knew until she was older, but her mother probably saw it before anyone else, that indeed, she had an exceptional eye for observing details. She pursued art in college, and I don't know all the details of her struggles and successes since then.

I just know that she is living the dream of her father, and the irony is that she is recognized around the country, possibly around the world, for her motorcycle art work.

You can see samples of her many talents at the Flames of Steel site listed in the right column, or click here at:

http://www.lwoodcustoms.com/default.htm .

Once you are there, you can browse through her portfolio where you will see links to her designs for bikes, guitars, helmets, automotive, engraving, illustrations, portraiture, her sketchbook, and yes, even body art. I didn't know there was a demand for body art. I always thought body art meant tattoos, but obviously, I'm out of touch! Warning: You must be an adult to view her body art!

And if you like her work as much as I do, you will be able to order prints of some of her pieces. I love the print "Studying Michaelangelo," because when I see it, I see my niece, relaxed in her skin, in her art, in her life.

I think she has a future in illustration. I'm waiting for her first book to come out. Then she'd be living out my dream!

PS... I'm hoping she'll send me some pictures of her other works to post here. Come back and see if I have them.