Blazing Creativity: Meet the Seattle firefighter who designs custom fire patches
Kimball's unique patch designs reflect the gritty and heroic nature of firefighting. Seattle firefighter Denny Kimball, known for creating custom fire patches for fire stations, has found a passion that inspires his creativity and inspires station solidarity. His unique patch designs reflect the gritty and heroic nature of firefighting. Kimball estimates that he has created around 75 designs for the Seattle Fire Department, with around 30 currently being used in the department. His designs include an homage to Jimi Hendrix, a mummy design for Station 2 in Belltown, and a fierce hornet image for Station 25 on Capitol Hill. Despite his meticulous hand-drawn design, Kimball admits to a lack of patience with others who suggest a basic design, stating that he will not accept any basic design that has been met with criticism.
Опубликовано : 3 недели назад от Susan Wyatt, http://www.facebook.com/seattlerefined в Lifestyle
Seattle firefighter Denny Kimball has found a passion that ignites his creativity and inspires station solidarity.
The veteran firefighter uses his artistic talent to create patches for fire stations, from an homage to Jimi Hendrix to a Green Lake swamp creature.
Kimball's unique patch designs reflect the gritty and heroic nature of firefighting.
Kimball, who currently drives Ladder 3 in the Central District, estimates that he's created about 75 patch designs.
"Around 30, I think, are being used in the Seattle Fire Department," said Kimball. "And I've got a couple out of Puget Sound Fire, Burlington, King County District 2, Renton."
Kimball has long family ties to the Seattle Fire Department.
"My father retired out of Seattle with 30 years," he said. "I've got a twin brother that got in the department three years prior to me, and he retired with 30 years, and I got in the department in 1993."
Art is in Kimball's blood. His grandfather was an architect, and his mother was an artist who spent several years drawing for Windermere Real Estate on Bainbridge Island.
"She would sketch the houses," said Kimball. "So, in advertisements, instead of using photographs, they would use her house renderings."
While Kimball always loved art, he didn't pursue it as a career. When he joined the fire department, one of the men he was working with happened to be a patch collector.
"He wanted to create a patch for the station," Kimball recalled. "I'm like, hey, let me design it. And that was the start. And I've just kind of done it ever since, and absolutely love designing."
One of the first patches Kimball created was "Garlic Gulch" for Seattle Fire Station 28 on Rainier Ave. S. The patch depicts the station's unofficial mascot, 'Garlicman,' playing the bagpipes, with the dramatic wording, "Though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death," on the encircling banner.
The patch is an homage to Rainier Valley's history. Back in 1910, the area was home to a thriving Italian community, which prompted the nickname "Garlic Gulch."
"The guy that came to me obviously wanted something for the pipes and drums because he was a member (of the band), and that's what I created," said Kimball, who noted that it was difficult to make a garlic guy look "cool."
Kimball used to hand draw everything, but now uses various computer programs. He admits it still takes time to complete a design because he is meticulous.
"That's probably my one downfall, because I'll just keep tweaking, tweaking, tweaking," he said.
Kimball said if somebody comes to him with a rudimentary design, he pushes back.
"I just won't do a patch if you come to me and say, 'I want a Maltese (Cross), I want it red, I want axes and I want a hose.' I just won't do that," he said. "It's just been beat to death. I want to do something creative and different and I want to step outside the box on colors. I want something to catch your eye."
The Jimi Hendrix patch for Station 6 is an example of stepping way outside the box. The station is located two blocks from Hendrix' childhood home in the Central District. The purple and red patch has psychedelic vibes and asks the question, "R U sixperienced?" a play on the title of Hendrix' album "Are You Experienced."
Kimball says a patch is all about morale. "One hundred percent," he said. "It actually gives identity."
You'll see this in the imaginative mummy design Kimball created for Station 2 in Belltown, built in 1921.
"The reason we came up with the mummy is because it's the oldest engine operational in the city, old as dirt so we had that image," said Kimball.
Kimball said for Station 25 on Capitol Hill, the design features a fierce hornet.
"Because we call it the Hornet's Nest, and it's like a hornet's nest up there some of the time, and so it kind of gives you an identification, a representation of your district," he explained. "It's so exciting to go to drills, go to fires and you see all these guys with patches on their coats, and everybody's wearing their station pride."
Kimball said his design work is not a money-making project.
"It's definitely a thing of the heart. I just love designing," he said.
Susan Wyatt is a freelance writer for Seattle Refined, specializing in pets, gardening and all-around swell stuff in the PNW. Images shared by Denny Kimball and Stephen Baer of Fire Dog Photos.