nPosted on December 14, 2017
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n Today’s famous birthday was born in Estonia on this date in 1894. At the beginning of his career, straight out of school, he became a seaman, working as a ship’s carpenter.
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nHe learned a lot about the sea and about ships as he worked as an expert ship’s carpenter and as a rigger (the person who arranges and tends the ropes that support the ship’s masts and control the ship’s sails).
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nHe spent more than 15 years at sea. And it wasn’t all work – for fun, while out at sea, he would paint pictures on cut up pieces of canvas sails.
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nBecause Nelke didn’t have any training as an artist, he is considered self-taught.
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nWhen Nelke decided to settle down and become a landlubber, he chose to do so in Brooklyn, New York, rather than back in Estonia.
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nIn the U.S., Nelke continued to work as a carpenter and to paint pictures on the side. But it is those paintings – many of them of ocean scenes and of ships – that made him famous!
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nNelke found commercial success by painting scenes that were used on playing cards, jigsaw puzzles, and other products. He found artistic success by joining organizations for other artists – including for independent artists.
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| Of course, not all of Nelke’s paintings are ocean scenes. |
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nAlso on this date:
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nAstronomer Tycho Brahe’s birthday
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nArrival of the Yule Lads in Iceland
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nDay of the Horse
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Anniversary of the first “modern-day” imitation pearls
Anniversary of the first “modern-day” imitation pearlsn
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nMonkey Day
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nnAnniversary of President LBJ saying, “Some geniuses at Stanford University have created life in the test tube!” –when that wasn’t what actually happened!
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nAnniversary of the first humans to reach South Pole
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nYoga Day
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nPlan ahead:
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nCheck out my Pinterest pages on:
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nHistorical anniversaries in December
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nAnd here are my Pinterest boards for:
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nJanuary birthdays
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