If you have a mind for trivia and remember the movie, Flashdance, you may recall the catchy main theme song called, What A Feeling.” In my head I can still hear Irene Cara belting out the words, “Take your passion and make it happen.” When I first met artist, Keith Zimmerman, I knew I had met a person that had taken his passion and had made it happen. Our meeting was at a recent local Art & Wine Festival where I noticed how his work stood out above all the other artwork being displayed. I couldn’t get over the quality and meticulous detail in his pieces.

So how does one get to the level of being able to match his creative spirit with the marketability of one’s labor? It often starts in childhood, as it did with Keith, with an appreciation and devoted interest in things that permeate through a person’s entire life. After retiring from a non-art related career, Keith was finally able to realize his dreams through his creations that had their roots in the basement of his parents’ home in Youngwood, Pennsylvania.

During his childhood carousels and merry-go-rounds fascinated Keith. He also had a love of animals. This would later result in his carvings of carousel animals and his extensive study of the different kinds of carousels and the various animals on them. Yet, Keith didn’t have just one passion. At an early age he developed a love of transportation. His interest in airplanes called for a lot of research, and gradually he became an expert on the planes used in World War I and World War II.

Keith displayed early artistic talent. By age 10 he had already started whittling and carving. However, over the years he has worked with oils and has done sculptures. Keith has even done some Dilbert-like cartoons.

With winters being quite severe and frigid in Pennsylvania, Keith could not play outside during the colder months when he was growing up. He prepared himself for the long winter by collecting materials during the summer months that would keep him busy in the basement workshop. He collected different kinds of wood, including orange crates, 5 pound cheese boxes, and an occasional cigar box.

With his supply of materials, he would spend hours creating model airplanes. In his hometown at the age of 14, he became known as “The Airplane Guy.” He also drew planes, and studied them in detail. Keith continues to make planes that are historically accurate and done to scale. It helps to have a penchant for detail.

Keith’s career in industry brought him to California where he worked in Long Beach for 34 years before retiring. When he retired, he began carving carousel animals. At first he did pieces that were to be wall mounted. Later on he began doing free-standing animals along with airplanes that are also free-standing. For each of his pieces he designed a special stand to hold the perfectly balanced work of art.

In his studio you will find Fokker planes like the one the Red Baron flew in World War I right next to the Sopwith Camel. If you think about the scenes of Snoopy from the Peanuts comic strip, you will remember the tri wing Fokker and the smaller brown plane that Snoopy would fly.

If you saw the movie, Flyboys, you will also remember the bi-wing airplane that the French used against the German planes. You would see those in his studio along with Steerman Trainers used extensively by the U.S. armed forces before World War II. All in all he has more than a dozen different planes that he has researched, carved, and painted.

How long do these labors of love take from beginning to end? Keith works in 2 to 3 hours intervals and estimates a total of 24 hours in each piece. He said, “Each one takes 2 football games and 4 baseball games.”

This prolific artist has also expanded his repertoire by including the pony express and a larger piece that is the Wells Fargo Stage. All animals, people and the coach are hand carved and painted. Again, the detail is amazing and the colors are brilliant. Keith has received many awards and accolades for his work, including Best of Show Awards.

Few people are fortunate enough to turn their passions and interests in to something so meaningful and enjoyable to make and sell. Keith has been given a natural talent that he has developed and shared with his fans through the years. Thankfully, this artist took his passion and made it happen.