CHARLES "Bob" WINKLER

   SINCE I WAS YOUNG I HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN ART IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER. WHEN I STARTED LEATHER CARVING; I WAS MORE AMAZED AT THE DIMENSIONS YOU COULD ACHIEVE. WOOD CARVING FOR ONE IS SIMILAR, BUT INSTEAD OF CUTTING OUT THE PARTS TO SHOW THE RELIEF, YOU CARVED THE LEATHER AND INDENTED (TOOLED) THE LEATHER TO CREATE THE RELIEFED AREAS AND TRANSFORMED A FLAT SURFACE INTO A MULTIDIMENSIONAL PIECE OF ART.

   I HAVE DECIDED SINCE I HAVE RECAPTURED MY PASSION FOR WORKING WITH LEATHER, WITH THE HELP AND INSPIRATION OF MY WIFE ELAINE, TO GO A STEP FURTHER THAN THE TRADITIONAL FORM AND MAKE MY ART WORK FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED IN THE CONCEPT OF FEEL THE ART. I WOULD LIKE AND AM GOING TO TRY AND CHANGE THE DIRECTION SO THAT THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED WILL BE AFFORDED THE SAME OPPORTUNITY TO SEE PICTURES, PORTRAITS, LANDSCAPES AND WILDLIFE WITH THEIR HANDS AND ALSO FOR THOSE WHO CAN SEE.

     I HAVE BEEN GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE I AM A CANCER SURVIVOR. I CONTRACTED ACUTE MYLOID LEUKEMIA FROM THE FIRST GULF WAR DESERT STORM/SHIELD DECEMBER OF 2001 AND MY WIFE ELAINE WAS AT MY SIDE FOR 80 OF THE 90 DAYS I WAS THERE THROUGH THE CHEMO, THE SICKNESS AND THE RECOVERY AND HAS BEEN WHAT GIVES ME THE DRIVE WHEN I SOMETIMES DON'T THINK I HAVE ANYTHING LEFT AND SHE IS ALSO SOME OF THE ART BEHIND THE LEATHER-A PURE PARTNER IN ALL OF IT.