A profile of Steve Gartin

A Profile of Steve Douglas Gartin

as martial artist and senior student of Willem de Thouars ~ by Chas Clements 1990

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 {1990}