Van Etten had back surgery to remove sections from seven of the vertebrae in his neck, to allow his spine to decompress. Prior to the procedure, he was wheelchair bound. “It is profound to have my drawing (ability) taken away and then given back,” said Van Etten. His surgery forced him to reexamine his life and simplify many aspects of it. He jokes that his motto is, “sometimes it helps to wear a silly hat.” However, today that means wearing bear paw slip…

April 3, 2019