September 6, 2016 at 8:38 a.m.
Lake Tomahawk artist awarded 2017 State Turkey Stamp
Caleb Metrich overcomes adversity on path to success
Lake Tomahawk artist awarded 2017 State Turkey Stamp
Striving to constantly improve, Metrich looks at the 2017 State Turkey Stamp as another motivating factor on his fascinating road as an artist.
Originally from the Northwoods, the outdoor culture was instilled in Metrich from an early age. He remembers hunting and fishing with his father, a former taxidermist and currently a fishing guide, from the time he began to walk.
"I recall tracking deer when I was about 6 years old. My dad would go on hunting trips with his friends and I'd be sitting at home anxiously waiting to hear if someone got a deer or whatever animal they were hunting," Metrich said. "I'm sure that really ingrained the love of the outdoors into me."
Metrich began hunting himself at the age of 10 when he went on a trip with his father to Florida for wild boar. Even at that age, he recalls the wildlife catching his eye in a way he had not experienced before.
"As I've gotten older I've come to love it even more. I still hunt now but when I was younger I always wanted to have the shotgun or the bow and be trying to hit something," he said. "Now I just enjoy watching and taking pictures. Even though I still do hunt, I generally just prefer to observe and take as good of pictures as I can. There is no bag limit on photos."
Today, Metrich consults his father during his painting process, hoping his highly trained eye might catch something that he otherwise may have overlooked.
"My dad and I may disagree on some things but he has taught me a lot about wildlife being a taxidermist," he said. "When I win things like the State Stamp I feel like I'm making my parents proud, which is a great feeling."
Metrich believes he began drawing extensively around the age of 5 and began to translate his artwork onto a painted canvas as he got into middle school. He continued his artwork into high school classes but they did not always translate into success.
"I failed art class one year in high school. I could have tried harder but I just wasn't interested in what I was doing," he said. "It was no fault of the teacher, just my own."
Pursing art as a career came about during Metrich's early 20s when he remembers seeing an ad for the State Turkey Stamp, for which the winner received a plaque for the achievement.
"I remember reading that and wanting that so bad. It quickly turned into the biggest goal and dream I had to accomplish," he said. "I began pouring everything I had into getting that first stamp."
Metrich was awarded his first stamp, the Wild Turkey in 2012, at the age of 28. The moment that Metrich realized he had reached his goal was something that he will not soon forget.
"No matter what it is that you're doing, when you put so much hard work to achieve something and finally attain it, that's the best feeling in the world," he said. "The hours I've put in, and the sacrifices I've made always come out to be worth it in the end when I've gotten an honor such as a State Stamp."
Devotion has never been something that has alluded Metrich as he believes it sometimes has become a fault to the point of letting other things fall by the wayside.
"I've missed out on things like family events so that I could paint," he said. "I really try not to do that anymore. Anytime there is something going on with the family I try to step away for awhile. It can be very consuming but it's gotten me to where I'm at now."
Metrich's commitment to his craft was at one time jeopardized by his bout with alcoholism. Now three and a half years sober, with his fourth year approaching in February, Metrich said it was a dark time in his past that he was lucky to overcome.
"I was a binger. I would drink for three or four days straight and then detox. Then I would go and do the same thing over again," he said. "I knew eventually I had to make a change. Life is tough already, so why make it harder on yourself?"
Metrich said that during his days he battled his drinking problem, painting would often come secondary to his desire to get drunk. He believed his work came out sloppier, even if only he could notice, and the passion he had was dulled.
"Alcohol was like heroin for me. It consumed me and put me through absolute hell," he said. "Getting sober was the best decision I've ever made. You can't focus when you have an addiction like that."
Since getting his alcoholism under control, Metrich's love for painting and wildlife has only increased, as his drive towards becoming the best painter he can be. Never satisfied, Metrich knows he can still improve as he hopes to eventually become a full-time painter.
"I still do roofing work during the day, which keeps me in shape and allows me to step back from painting for awhile," he said. "I'll come home and paint in the evenings now. It's good to get away from the canvas for awhile and come back with a fresh look at things."
The 2017 Wild Turkey State Stamp is another step on Metrich's envisioned ladder.
"It's amazing the things you can accomplish when you put your mind to things and make good choices in your life," he said. "As an artist, there is nothing like winning a contest. It's nice to sell artwork and make some money but it's not the feeling that you getting from winning at something you've love to do and have put so much time into."
Now 33, Metrich said the signs of improvement come in more minute details now, but the feeling of producing a work better than your last makes him rediscover the joy of painting each time. New goals propel him towards embarking on his next painting.
"I want to win the Federal Duck Stamp. That's the big one in wildlife painting," he said. "There is a lot more for me to accomplish. I want to go farther than where I've been before."
Evan Verploegh may be reached via email at sports@lakelandtimes. com.
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