Tartar sauce on French fries o:p>

Yes, I started that. That was me. Of course, I get a lot of doubtful looks when I point this fact out to my dining companions at restaurants. My closest friends dispute the validity of my claim, but I vigorously maintain that the widespread availability of tartar sauce as a companion to the French fry, did not become popular until I began insisting on it at st1:City>Seattle area restaurants at the tender age of seven. Yes, I am an innovator.

Growing up in the quiet little town of Edmonds, Washington, I spent my youth camping, fishing, drawing pictures of epic space battles, burly barbarians, but most of all…Tarzan!

Yes, Tarzan… of the apes. Not the fluffy, Phil Collins, Disney Tarzan, but the Edgar Rice Burrows, Lord Greystoke, bugs are yummy Tarzan. I often fantasized that I too was Tarzan-like, and I would frolic with the apes and live off the land. Instead I had to be satisfied with the vacant lot across the street. The only apes to be found were the neighborhood variety, “yard apes” as my friend Chris’ father used to refer to them.

Mine was a horrifically dull childhood. I was never attacked by Indians on my way to school, or abducted by aliens when I slept in the yard on hot summer nights. And so, I spent many, many hours living out my boyhood fantasies through a number two pencil and enough notebook paper to deforest British Columbia.

Marine Corps boot camp is not about cultivating the creative soul of the artist though there is plenty of suffering. I do consider myself a patriot, and it was a worthwhile experience, but if you are an artist reading this and considering military service, take my advice, join the Peace Corps instead, you’ll be happier.

In the Marines the direction of my art took a turn towards the historical, as I was asked to paint murals of famous military scenes from history on barracks walls, and occasionally draw diagrams for training manuals. House paint on concrete block somehow seems like the perfect medium for Marine Corps art. I welcomed this kind of work though, as it got me out of a lot of KP duty and useless drills. I also sidelined designing tattoos for my fellow jarheads. I hope to god none of them know where I am now.

After the Marines I went to art school where I had an epiphany. Art can make you money!

That’s it… Really. I had no idea that actual people made their full time living as artists until that point. At that moment I realized that if I, Clay Corbisier, at seven years old could convince the world it’s a good idea to dip French fries into tartar sauce, then why couldn’t I convince people to buy my art!

Today I live in Monroe, Washington and work as an illustrator, graphic designer, and traditional fine art oil painter.

Tartar sauce is served upon request at nearly every restaurant with fries on the menu in North America.

-Clay Corbisier