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Destiny would surely guarantee great things for someone born with the name Hercules.

In Greek and Roman mythology, Hercules, son of Zeus, was the greatest of heroes, famous for physical feats of strength.

But for Hercules Fede (pronounced FAY day), strength is derived from art and music.

The 33-year-old has perfected the "swirl" artform and makes a living painting guitars, violins and other objects like race helmets, skateboards, bike frames, motorcycle tanks and ceramics. Recently, he even painted BMX bike frames for a dealer in California, while a motorcycle enthusiast from Texas disassembled his Harley and sent the parts to Fede so he could work his magic on them.

Named after his maternal grandfather (in Italian, it’s "Hercole"), the artist transforms ordinary instruments and objects into captivating multicolor works of art.

Fede’s customer base includes collectors in Canada, Germany, Norway, Japan, Australia, England, Spain, France, Argentina and, of course, the United States.

"People know me all over the world for my artwork," says the Italian American.

Almost all of Fede’s business comes from his Web site, Fede’s Custom Shop (www.fedecustomshop.com), established in 1997. For that, he considers himself very fortunate.

"There is a market for collectors who love this kind of stuff. The Internet is a great tool for reaching those people," he says.


Ironically, Fede is better known outside Philadelphia. He says the Philadelphia music scene is more retro than modern, and thus there really isn’t a market here for his creations.

Fede uses his love of colors and endless palette of hues to represent emotions, wonders and healing. The swirl artform is always something different and new due to the unpredictable nature of colors and designs.

The talented artist shies away from revealing any of his trade secrets about the kind of paint and materials he uses, and how he applies his craft to his given objects. Fede will only say that it took him almost three years to perfect the paint job.

"I researched it for years, tested every paint under the sun and then finally got it," he notes.

In addition to swirls, Fede specializes in many types of finishes, inlays and custom guitar modification and routing. Perhaps one of his most stunning examples of inlay carving is a fleur-de-lis — the recognizable lily-like emblem that was the coat of arms of the former French royal family — on the neck of a guitar.

In no way does Fede wish to create the impression that he originated the swirl artform.

Inspired by the idea, he began learning the method in 1991. By 1996, he had perfected his own personal style and, a year later, decided to market his wares via the Internet.

Fede’s Custom Shop was the first of its kind to offer professional multicolor swirl finishes — metallic, transparent and glow-in-the-dark swirls — on the Web at affordable prices. Each design is a unique, one-of-a-kind work of art.

Recently, Fede purchased a guitar for $450, then painted and sold it for $2,500. Whenever he puts his creations for sale on eBay, they sell within 20 minutes, he says.

Born in Caracas, Venezuela to Italian-native parents, Fede moved to the 1300 block of Morris Street when he was 4 — the age at which he started to draw and paint. He and his parents and siblings still live on the same block, and Fede’s studio is conveniently located just up the street.

"I’m pretty spoiled. I have to walk half a block to work," he says with a shy laugh.

A self-taught artist from day one, the young Fede was crazy about cartoons, especially superheroes and sports figures. Appropriately, his nickname in St. Nicholas of Tolentine grade school was "The Artist," he recalls.


If art was Fede’s first love, then music was the jealous mistress.

A top student at St. Joseph’s Preparatory High School and an avid poetry writer, Fede also taught himself music theory during that period and then transferred the knowledge to various instruments.

"When you have a passion for something, it’s not work, so you kind of soak it up like a sponge," he reasons.

And while he enjoys playing the cello and the violin, Fede says his proficiency lies with the guitar.

Owner of some 15 stringed instruments, the artist makes music daily — when he’s not swirling around, that is.

"I don’t leave my babies," he says of his collection of instruments.

His "babies" include a classical guitar made in Spain, a fretless bass, an electric violin, a cello, four electric guitars and two acoustic violins — one of which was made in Prague in 1920. Of the Czechoslovakian instrument he remarks, "The thing looks divine. It looks beautiful and sounds beautiful."

Longing to do something truly amazing and unique with his talents, Fede discovered the perfect marriage of his love of art and music by creating his playable works of art.

Fede now has his own line of custom-made electric violins, all of which feature the swirl form. His vision is to expand into other custom-made electric instruments, including guitars, violas, cellos and basses.

And, he says with a laugh, "of course they will carry the signature Herc-Swirl finishes."

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