One of the Fulks Run Elementary School bus drivers wears many hats. He is a husband, father, pilot, collector, antiques dealer, to name a few.
But I daresay one of the favorite “hats” he wears is that of artist! When he puts his creative hat on, wonderful things result.
Fulks Run resident, Brent Estep, grew up attending Fulks Run Elementary, John C. Myers Middle School, and graduated from Broadway High School.
While a senior in high school, thinking he wanted to be an airline pilot, Brent started taking flying lessons and had his pilot’s license, and license to fly twin engine airplanes, by the time he graduated. “My earliest inspiration was seeing Garnett Turner flying his model planes down at the Ruritan Park, when I was a kid.” Brent attended Blue Ridge Community College for 2 years, taking art classes there. While at Blue Ridge, he was finishing up his flight training to be a commercial pilot and flight instructor. Transferring to EMU, he graduated with a minor in art, with a concentration in art. Brent was a flight instructor for 4 years at Shenandoah Regional Airport.
Brent said, “After 911 happened, and I met my wife, I realized I was more of a homebody and didn’t want to be away from home so much. I changed directions, and since flight opportunities had changed with all the furloughed pilots, if I had tried to get a job, I would have been competing with people who had thousands of more hours. An opportunity came up, for us to run a church camp in Winchester. We did that for 2 years.”
Their first child was coming, so Kirsten and Brent moved to western PA, where her parents had a farm. Both of their boys were born there, the family lived there for about 6 years. Another opportunity arose to work with Service Adventure in Colorado. After 3 years, the family moved back to Fulks Run, moving into his grandmother’s old house, in 2013.
All along, Brent had been selling antiques on the side, and when the family moved back home, he started selling in earnest. He worked part time in the ham house at Fulks run Grocery, and part time as a school bus driver, and for the Dept of Agriculture for 4 years.
His artistic nature and urge to create won out. He quit the Dept of Ag job. Kirsten went back to school, becoming a dental hygienist. Brent made a Facebook page 6 years ago, as a commissioned artist, and has not looked back!
Brent considers himself a jack of all trades- when asked if he can create something- he might never have done it before, but says “I know I can do it!” And he does!” Selling antiques has a quick turnover, but his art projects are non-stop, taking alot more time to create.
The artist’s plasma cut art saws are a popular item. His first plasma art, and first time using the cutter, was designing 14 of his antique gas cans into jack-o-lanterns. Selling his first 4 cans paid for the plasma cutter. He sold all but one of the cans first time out! Brent’s art sells all over the country, including to some celebrity clients. Taylor Sheridan, creator of the tv series Yellowstone, now owns some of Brent’s plasma art. “Taylor’s wife posted my saw on Instagram, tagged me in it. I did 10 or 12 saws that have the logo from the other Sheridan show, 1883, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw have some of my saws.”
Another popular seller are his antique car themed saws. All are hand drawn and designed by Brent. He can create any theme or design people request- all hand drawn and cut.
As soon as a project is complete, it is posted online, and that invariably brings another client and project. Repeat business is key. Brent is also a sign painter, doing repainting on vintage signs and vehicles. People ship him signs to repaint. The tax building in Timberville is a local example of Brent’s art. “I love doing local stuff, and there are before and after pictures on my Facebook page. I do have a market that is more than local. I also have a lifetime of projects here that I want to do for myself!”
A future project, in a long line of future projects, is restoring an old truck he has, to be his advertising on the road.
A new storage building is in progress on the property to hold the overflow, and enlarge the workshop. A walk through the storage building is a collector’s dream, a step back in time – filled with finds from Howdy Doody, pedal cars, antique signs, all sorts of car and motorcycle parts. His upgrade will be redoing the building to be able to have people come in by private appointment to buy. He has sold antiques to Robby Wolf of American Pickers on occasion.
A recent sweet find were some antique car titles found by another dealer and offered to Brent, that ended up belonging to Brent’s relatives. A full circle moment. You never know what will turn up when scouting around for antiques.
So, combining his love for art, his talent, creativity, and antiques, has opened up a world and business for Brent that is never dull! No boring 9-5 grind, being stuck in an office for this man. He loves the kids and driving a bus for his old elementary school, but art is his passion and is what drives him. The saying “Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life’ rings very true for Brent Estep.
Check out Estep Creative Design on Facebook.
Find him on eBay – vintagelifev8 or Nash Hollow Antiques/Collectibles
On Instagram – @estepcreative
