I remember the match books and the “Draw me” ad! I wanted to be an artist when I was young and after retirement, I finally took some lessons from two amazing artists! Here is a story about one of my art adventures! This is Ernie, he was the oldest known living giraffe when I spent three days painting him at Safari West in Santa Rosa, CA. His bones are now at the Smithsonian. His head looks funny and lumpy because he had arthritis. Ernie could lay down in the barn at night but he couldn’t get up in the morning, so his keeper would use a hoist to pull him up. Ernie would then walk around all day in the sunshine. One time I displayed Ernie’s painting in an art show and a man got up real close, really checking him out. I went and asked if I could answer any questions. He said no, that Ernie just looked like his giraffe! Turned out he was Ernie’s keeper! He recognized the arthritic bumps! Other viewers just thought I messed up! LOL! I would never sell Ernie!! -- Jeannine Berger Passenheim ’60
