Dragon & Bubbles, Central & Gus

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ON THE BACK OF THE CARD:

Looking at Oakley Okeechobee Dragon, and hearing the larger than life myths, one would expect him to spend his time battling rivals, with plumes of fire and billowing smoke emanating from his flaring nostrils, his razor sharp talons at the ready, his stance rampant. But, no.

Oakley Okeechobee is strapping and powerful, and he can indeed breathe fire. But he chooses to use this talent in a positive, creative way. By day he is a blacksmith. It is a natural fit. Being a living, breathing furnace leaves his hands free to create the most beautiful, delicate wrought iron filigree; his work is found on garden gates, screen doors, and window garden boxes all over town. Oakley is quirky, inspired, and an experimental artist. He loves breaking molds, and believes in being his authentic self, no matter about stereotypes, perceptions, and presumptions.

When the workday is through, Oakley switches from breathing fire to blowing bubbles, giving his system time to recharge. His mind is another story: settling in the meadow with the sunset providing a coral-hued backdrop, he lets it wander, dreaming of tomorrow’s designs. These ideas, coming to fruition in his mind’s eye, mirror the rainbow-hued bubbles floating up, up, up: sometimes tiny, sometimes big; each one different, and all adding beauty to the world.