Previous Artwork:
Save our Seabirds
Twiggy The Waterskiing Squirrel
Just when you think you’ve seen it all, you stumble upon a squirrel that knows how to water ski. Back in 1978, Hurricane David struck Sanford, Florida. In the midst of the downed trees, Chuck Best found an orphaned squirrel and took it in as a pet. Coincidentally, Best had also purchased a remote controlled boat for his daughter to play with in their pool around the same time. He joked that he should teach their new pet Twiggy to water ski. And so began the careers of eight squirrels (all known as Twiggy) who became water-skiing pros.
Over the course of the next 40 years, Twiggy the Water-Skiing Squirrel created quite a name for himself. While Twiggy’s water-skiing skills were always the draw, the show also included info on water safety. In addition to performances at boat shows and the like, Twiggy made tv appearances on “Good Morning America” and “Late Night with David Letterman” and can be seen in the movies “Dodgeball” and “Anchorman.”
During what was intended to be Twiggy’s 2018 farewell tour, Twiggy appeared at the Suncoast Boat Show right here in Sarasota. Rumors of Twiggy’s retirement appear to have been exaggerated, however. Although Lou Ann is no longer taking the show on the road, Chuck Best, Jr. has taken over the reins and Twiggy is back on tour.
To see Twiggy in action, go to https://twiggysinc.com.
Artist
Sam Conable
Sam is a Digital and Fine Artist living in Sarasota, Florida. He has studied ant The Maryland College of Art and Design, The Corcoran School of Art in Washington, DC. He graduated with Honors from The Ringling School of Art and has worked with clients such as Bristol -Myers, Sarasota County Government, The World Bank, General Signal, Sarasota Memorial Hospital and many private collectors. Sam is also an accomplished musician and performs and records with Cryptic Vision and Nation Nationally and around the Tampa Bay Area. On this project Sam worked with his partner Carrie who is also an accomplished artist in her own right. Sam originally got involved with The Chalk Festival and has participated in several of these amazing events created by Denise Kowal. Our painting is of Twiggy, The Waterskiing Squirrel. Twiggy had her last ride before retiring in The Sarasota Boat Show in 2018. Twiggy was featured in the Will Ferrell movie Anchorman.
Written By
Nanette Crist
Nanette Crist is a retired lawyer who began blogging when she moved to Florida. It was an online diary of sorts, a way to keep track of her new life. It was also a good way to share her discoveries with friends and family outside the area. Over time, Nanette realized her writing makes her experience the world differently. She keeps an eye out for interesting things to write about and then delves more deeply into them as she crafts her words. It's all about telling the story. Nanette's blog can be found at http://nanettesnewlife.blogspot.com.