Gary
Chelak. Photo taken at Opening Ceremonies, ISMAC 2005.
Gary Chelak Tattershall School of Defence
Gary
Chelak began studying historical fencing in 1994 while attending
college. He served as both assistant and primary instructor for
rapier combat prior to graduation.
Mr.
Chelak earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Northern Arizona
University with an extended major in Visual Communication (Dec.,
1997). Having succeeded in creative & management positions in
the graphic design field, he currently balances freelance design
with full time graphic arts instruction at a private college in
Southern California, where he was recently voted Outstanding
MultiMedia Instructor by the student body.
As
Rector for the Tattershall School of Defence (Southern California)
Gary studies & teaches Italian rapier primarily in the US,
having also done research and taught in Great Britain and Canada.
His primary foci are Italian systems of rapier, sidesword, &
longsword. Additional studies include French smallsword, Spanish
rapier, Italian unarmed combat, and German systems of sword &
buckler, longsword, & wrestling.
Known
as Giacomo Cavalli da Treviso in the Society for Creative
Anachronism, he is a member of the Defenders of the White Scarf
(the organization's highest award for fence).
Gary
has studied, taken part in, and choreographed theatrical combat,
having done work for Theatrikos Theater and Northern Arizona
University, both located in Flagstaff.