JIM KEIFER

I grew up in the Pacific Palisades in the 1960’s. I remember my Dad working on the Apollo mission and driving out to Edwards Air Force Base to check out his airplane designs. He worked with people like Howard Hughes, Chuck Yeager and Charles Lindbergh.

So when I went to Notre Dame, I wanted to be an Aero Space Engineer like my father. But I quickly found out that higher math sucked, and that I was more interested in the art classes. Better to sculpt a cool flying machine that looked fantastic, like the Zephyrs, than to have to design one that actually worked. Instead I focused on painting and Industrial Design.

After 25 years in the Toy Industry and painting when I made the time, I decided to move to Idyllwild and do the opposite: paint all the time and be a consultant to the Toy Industry when I made the time.

Now I am the officially licensed painter of Monopoly for Hasbro and building flying ships that don’t fly.

- Jim Keifer