The Artistic flies of Mark Romero

[willowhead]

This is on a Partridge CS6JP that (JP) Jens Pilgaard designed for them. The bead is ceramic, and very earthy in multi-tones.....including a color that matches the color of the GP feather tail.

[willowhead]

i tyed this in honor of Ted Patlen............my all time favorite all round tyer, both as a person and because of the fact that he has such a good attitude bout all of it. Extremely talented.....yet never seems to take it all "to" seriously. Knows his history, yet tyes in such a free thinkin' way. Nobody has more fun. That's an Amhearst Pheasent crest over the top of the Cupie Doll hair tail. First time i ever saw Ted tye.....(International Symposium '92 i think it was).....he had Cupie Dolls all over his table and was using their hair for dubbing......... thass when i knew he had the right attitude.
Nowdays he uses various stuffed animals and carrird them around in an animal cookies box.
He was a school teacher for years.............guess those kids taught him a few things.

[letumgo]

That is a great story Mark. I can't stop laughing about the Cupie Dolls. That appeals to me on some sick level of humor. Too funny!!!

I wonder how Cupie Doll hair would be for dubbing...hmmm...my daughter is going to be upset if she comes home and I've chopped all the hair off her dolls.

[willowhead]

Such a morbid thought....... .....heheheheheh....... .........but then again, who are you to take away from her usefullness............ .................j/k........... .............. .............just tell her she's helping to advance an art form. p.s. make sure to put it in a loop.

[willowhead]

This kid was sooo into it at the Sowbug couple years ago.....i let him come around to my side of the table and hang out. He musta spent almost two hours back there with me. Kid had amazing hand skills for his age. My wife let him use her vise. His Mom and Dad would check on him ever half hour and when they hadda go he didn't wanna leave...... One of the nicest things bout the "Bug" is how many kids come...........whole busloads at a time. One of the local schools actually has a fly tyin' club, and bout 80% of the kids in that school participate. Pretty cool.....

[willowhead]

Here's a shot of Misako teachin' kids at the show up in Ontario, Canada back in April.

[willowhead]

Guy i met at Somerset one year.....sent me these way cool hooks. i've since given over half of them away..... One of the coolest things bout fly tyin' is all the wonderful opprotunities you get to share stuff, or swap stuff.....i get stuff in the mail right outta the blue every now and again.....incredable surprises sometimes.....like these hooks. BIG FUN!

[willowhead]

One of the ladies i've bought beads from in the past.....(her work is on my site).....sent me a shippment, and two beads got broken in route.....so she sends me allll these beads for free to make up for it...........and it wasn't even her fault.....some handler screwed up. Can you imagine.....boy was i to well raised to refuse. She said they were from her early days as a Lampwork (glass bead making on a torch) artist, and she figured i could use 'em............hehehehehe. Talk bout HELLO!

[willowhead]

Now this fly was fun..........lmao........somebody sent me a dozen or so of these extremely long gold streamer hooks. i've since given bout half of them away............... ...........what was i thinking......... ...............j/k..........
the body is Rainbow MoHair.....i got bout 9 skiens of it off ebay.....for like $25 or somethin'.....meant to sell 5 of 'em and recoup my expense......ended up given those away as well................sold one i think.....
throat is Marabou.....collar is Vulturine Guinea.....tail is Turkey.....wing is GP tail feathers....
call it a Stremph.....half streamer/half flymph.....

[letumgo]

Mark - I look at this fly and see joy in its purest form. Stellar!