Every piece of art has a story. While Michael Merriman’s handcrafted knives do have interesting origins – some mimicking the lines of his boat’s navigation tools – the artist’s story is even more fascinating. In this interview, he tells the heartwarming story of his first art show at age 16, how he ended up working on a yacht in the Caribbean with a French chef and how he’s been applying to the St. Louis Art Fair for 30+ years. He is finally one of the 2021 St. Louis Art Fair’s 160 exhibiting artists, and he says it’s one of the “greatest moments of his life.” He joins us for this conversation from just outside his yacht, “Pooh” (Merriman’s childhood nickname). By the way, he plans on sailing “Pooh” from his home port in New Bern, North Carolina to St. Louis for the art fair, which may be a first in the art fair’s history.