Hai-Dan Sifu Willem de Thouars as been privileged to
have the opportunity to mould martial artists from some sterling
material. In none of his students has he found more responsive
intention, physical ability and gifts of the spirit than in the person
of Steve Gartin. In the study of Uncle Bills' art, physical gifts are
not enough; courage, tenacity, morality and conscience, education and
intellectual acuity are the simple prerequisites. Steve has met the
standards and excelled for more than fifteen years.
Steve Gartin is a family man. The qualities of
personal loyalty and willingness to suffer any inconvenience for his
loved ones mirrors the standard set for all of us by Master Willem.
Noone could see the relationship enjoyed by Steve & Tamara and not be
joyful in its' richness. They have been blessed with children; April
Rose and Elijah Rock, and a broad extended family.
The company of fighting men is a difficult place. The
rigor of military discipline is to regulate the conduct of armed men; in
a group of martial artists, one has no such authority. Into that arena
Steve Gartin steps as a peacemaker, a negotiator. He would be a terrible
adversary-his physical gifts are immense and his technique is hand-honed
by Willem de Thouars. When he speaks of peace, it is from the standpoint
of a man fully able to deal with the alternatives. A smiling man with a
very sharp knife (or three) could bring a whole new meaning to 'Blessed
are the Peacemakers".
Cheeriness is not a usual conduct of martial artists.
One has to be truly comfortable with the aspect of imminent death to
bring a 'cheery note' to the proceedings. It is fairly unsophisticated
to stoneface through life, overcome with the gravity of whatever
conflict is happening today. Mean faced, hard-bitten men without joy are
a very base stage of martial understanding. We are enjoined in almost
every religion to take joy in the day, pain and suffering are the reward
for negative behaviour. The history of martial masters is the history of
laughing men, family men, joyous in their companions-the fighting part
is an inconvenience forced upon us by intractable enemies.
Steve Gartin came to us by a hard road. He grew up
traveling broadly, sailed as a seaman on the oceans, educated himself
and has achieved prominence through merit. His professional life as a
publisher, editor and writer, graphic artist and videographer joins his
personal interests in physical fitness, his spiritual life and martial
art, the outdoor activities, and the collecting of fine knives. His
magazine, "Sporting Blades" has been a respected member in the
publishing field from its inception for the quality of the presentation
and the loyalty of its readership. His videos of martial art subjects
are well received and his still pictures are widely used in publication.
As a senior student of Uncle Bill, Steve has had prime
exposure to a wide expression of martial art. A finished martial artist
must be in practice on internal art, hard essence, spiritual training
and contemplation, technical engineering and psychtricks. He must do
this while maintaining an idea about why we do it. We live in the real
world of life; work, love & family, culture and arts and ultimately,
'our hand protects our head', not 'the head is servant to the hand'.
Martial arts have their place in his full life, shaping it as he
progresses; yet it is his life of service to the Lord that all his other
endeavor supports.
Chas Clements 1992
