A Long Lost Relative

Kenny Warren sent me this photo and I was delighted to see it. It is the picture of a long lost Art Sieving figure Kenny has named "Artie." This is a cousin, or brother of "SQUEAKY", Harry O'Shea and the other Sieving figure I have who was unfinished and unnamed. Kenny found him residing in a carrying case at an Illinois junk store. It had not traveled very far from Art's home in Springfield,Ill. He doesn't have the moving glass eyes that most of Arts characters had, but it is no doubt his work without needing any other verification. Glad he found a home, Kenny. You have a real treasure.
I am not sure how many figures Arthur Sieving carved, I assume there were less than a dozen. I know there are many more than I can account for. Lisa Wetchel, an actress from Dallas who went on to star in the "Facts of Life", has a Sieving figure that I was able to get for her after Art's death. Blanche told me about it and Lisa was performing as a ventriloquist back then. I brokered he deal between the two ladies. Lisa named her partner Arthur.
Brick Tilley owns Phil D'Rey's gorilla the "Great Gangrene" which was craved by Art Sieving, and there are a couple of Sieving puppets in the Vent Haven Museum. If anyone knows of more I would love to flesh out he family tree, pun intended.
I think it speaks volumes to the influence that Art has even today that Kenny would call this guy Artie and almost 40 years ago Lisa named her partner, Arthur. Neither of them knew the man of their partners name sake. I know he would be pleased that he is still attached to the characters he created. He truly was a Geppetto able to endow his creations with a spark of life. They will always be special. I am glad that I get to tell his story in "The Two and Only", in some ways my show IS also one of his creations. Art truly has a reaching effect in every definition of the word.
Thanks Kenny.
As you were,
Jay