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Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Remembering Steve Ann Irwin

over the Christmas weekend, Louisville lost the talented, loving, local Artist Steve Irwin. Irwin was a multi-media artist and a member of Zephyr art Gallery.
Personally Irwin was like a father to me when i was just starting out. My  actual father was an artist in the 80's and was friends with Steve. as a kid seeing him at art shows and parties he seemed like a rock star to me. The week i graduated high skool in 1996, I walked the 2 blocks from my home to his and asked him for a job. he put me to work at the famed Sparks nite Club, where I worked until it's close in 2000.  it was an amazing and crazy time for a young John. I met many amazing people there, including the larger than life artists, and identical twins Mitchell and Matthew Bradley. it is there, that we gave him the name Steve-Ann, and it stuck.
After the close of Sparks i started working as Steve's assistant, along with Mitchell and Matthew.
Steve was instrumental in setting my art career in motion.  He got me my first One Man show (at Zephyr), allowed me to put on my first Valentine's Music show (in 1999, "i love cardboard valentine's with Team Totoro at Sparks), helped design the first Louisville is For Lovers album cover, and even helped get my first showing at The Speed Art Museum. He always bought a piece of my work at every show I had, sometimes being the only one. no matter what i did, or how far out there i strayed, he was always there for me. This was his motto, helping everyone around him.
I have known him all my life, and wouldn't be the person i am today without him.  it's an understatement to say he will be missed, much closer to the truth in saying this city, the art world, and myself will not be same without him.
there will be a memorial service Jan 15th at The Speed @ 4pm

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