For the past two days my dad has been unconscious and most hours are spent holding his hand and being with him. During this time I've realized that my favorite thing to do is brag about my dad, so thats what this thread will be. How cool my dad is. 1/?

My dad has been an artist his entire life. He started with painting and drawing, but where he really excelled was bronze sculpting. After his education, he spent 47 years as a professor of drawing and jewelry/metalsmithing. He went to his last class just two days ago.

Just recently he told me that when he first started bronzework, he loved making vessels and actually dug out a few, two of which he wants us to use for his ashes, which is really amazing that we'll have that. These are some of his earlier creations.

As for his other forms of art, these are just a couple of his very early drawings/paintings. The tiger was done in his teenage years and he actually gave it to me for Christmas last year. The best gift I've ever received. (he thinks it's terrible but I love it because it's his.)

At his studio he's got some of his favorite pieces he's ever created, and every single one is just amazing. Some have hidden compartments with bones from different animals in them, which if you ever met him would be totally normal.

Later in his art career, he actually shifted into a very specialized form of art. After being commissioned by the Natural History Museum in NYC, he became known for creating anatomically correct dinosaur sculptures that are now all over the world.

Let me tell you how fucking cool it was growing up and being able to talk about how my dad is a famous bronze sculptor that makes dinosaurs! I was without a doubt the coolest kid during show and tell.

Aside from his art, though, he is the most eccentric person I've ever met. Along with art, he loved loved loved anything naturally history, and beyond that, bones. Ebay was always his favorite thing for growing his collection.

Try growing up with real human skulls everywhere.

Him and my mom live in a farm house that he bought 40 something years ago. Upstairs in the bathroom there's a locked door that stays closed all the time. This door leads to what we've always called "The Dead Room"

The Dead Room is lined floor to ceiling with skeletons, skulls, and cultural items (which also include bone). In the past few years he started building his at-home studio and doing a lot of his work there.

It kind of makes sense now that he as an artist raised a zookeeper and doctor. This was everything we grew up around and it was all so normal.

I'll continue to add to this as we dig up more memories from his life because, like I said, bragging about dad is my favorite thing to do. He was never a sentimental person who showed affection, but he always made sure we were supported in everything we did. I love my dad.