Local man went viral after creating presidential pumpkins
CHICAGO - A local man talks about his experience meeting President Trump and going viral after creating pumpkins that look like presidential candidates.
He is the man who painted the famous "Trumpkin" in 2016. Now, he's at it again, and he's got some other tricks up his sleeve.
"You know you get an idea in your head and you just create it. Condeleeza Rice on a piece of rice. Serial Killers on cereal,” said John Kettman of LaSalle.
Kettman sees things a little differently, but it is that vision that has gained him internet fame.
"It's better than painting birds and trees all the time,” said Kettman.
His latest creation is presidential pumpkins.
"I made both of them look very professional, not so much caricatures... but the details in them, Trump is wearing a real human wig,” said Kettman.
In 2016, his “Trumpkin” creation helped him meet President Trump.
"He was just smiling, was very happy," said Kettman.
He uses anything and everything for his canvas. From meatloaf to a cheez-it. Painting quarterbacks on the backs of quarters, Mount Rushmore on pencils, birds on birdseed, and country legends on corn.
"When a person fires a riffle they hold their breath and if a surgeon is going to make a cut, on a person to do surgery, they take that breath, that exhale ... my trick is... I slow my heartbeat down,” said Kettman.
You might be surprised to learn Kettman isn't an artist by trade. He works in a factory.
"The art has always been my passion."
The presidential pumpkins took Kettman nine hours each to create. His longest project was six months which were life-size versions of the Beatles made out of wood.