The Origin of Shish

A lot of people visiting this site might not know or understand what the name "Shish" means, but there is a reason for the name and not just a quirky word. A really big part of my life was my Uncle Alex; he was an incredible person and an amazing artist. What I remember most about him was how he was a genuine person, and always thoughtful to those around me - especially with me. As a kid, whenever he would come up for holidays he would always make sure he spent time with me; a memory I cherish most about him was after Christmas Eve dinner when he taught me how to play dominos for the first time (but years later I realized he taught me the wrong rules so he could win). That was his charm, he was a goofy guy at heart but still made sure I always knew I was loved and appreciated in my life. I can also remember how incredible his art was; he was a wood carver, and could create incredible pieces of work that could range from salad bowls to huge cabinets and tables. He would work out of his house, and sell things as his own business - one place that he would sell a lot of his work was at the Renaissance Faire, which he would frequent a lot. This is where Shish comes in... He would always dress up to go to Faire, usually sporting a traditional Scottish kilt and a belt with weasel skins, one of which was named Shish. Alex passed away a few years back, and his death hit hard for our entire family. Over the summer after his passing, I went and did an internship out in Newport, supporting and running a local gallery. That was when I knew I wanted to run my own business, to create art to share with people in a gallery space like that. Thinking back on it, the similarities of how my uncle walked to the beat of his own drum compared to how I want to persue art are undeniable. He is an inspiration to me, and someone I want to be sure to honor and remember, and pass on to others. Shish is deticated to Alex who helped me realize the deep passion I have for art, and named after his favorite weasel.