The Austin Artist Series

Austin, Texas is known around the globe as "The Live Music Capital of the World." And it is home to some of the most creative souls around. Whether in music, visual or performing arts, writing or design, Austin is filled with talent.

The capital of the great state of Texas, Austin was named by Money magazine as the second best place to live in the country in 2006. And today it becomes the focus of the Austin Artist Series here at Interviews with Rita Mae Baker.

Introducing the artists who help keep Austin colorful:

John Haney

Douglas Brown

Jason Manzano

Introducing Austin Artist ... Jason Manzano

Age: 26
Location: South Austin
Occupation: Sound engineer, musician, photographer, photo retoucher, graphic designer, film editor, occasional actor
Website: resonancedigitalstudios.com

This is the third in the Austin Artist Series.

Explain briefly the job of sound engineer as it relates to both film and bands.
Essentially the job is the same for both film and music. I record the sounds in the best quality I can, then manipulate and give interest to those sounds to create a final product. Although the job is the same, the experience of doing sound work for film and bands is really quite different. For film the initial recording aspect is always done on location. No matter how much I try, I can never have complete control over the environment. I am always competing with talking, generators, car noises, etc. These issues can be cleaned up or replaced, but they are still issues. Also, on film it is one huge collaborative effort. I am working with anywhere from a 2 – 50 person crew, and my efforts are just one amongst many to create the final product. Recording music is an entirely different experience. It is usually a small more intimate and relaxed setting where I have much more control over all of the variables.

How did you get into the business?
The business was always there, it just took me a long time to embrace it. I always toyed with recording as I did with many of my other creative pursuits back in High School, but they were never realistic to me as a career until a bit later. I kept learning these things more and getting more interested to suit my own needs. My band needed a recording, I did it. Logo? I am sure I can figure that out. Someone wants some pictures taken or retouched, yeah let me read a few books, and I can do that for you. The thing for me was that once I started learning about how to do something, I couldn't stop. I tend to take it all the way. I really enjoyed everything that gave me the opportunity to create any type of digital product, but it wasn't until other people started coming to me to get these things done that the wheels started turning. And it wasn't until the last couple of years that I have really gone all out into making it my career.

Is it what you really want to do or is it a stepping stone to something bigger?
Yeah, this is what I really want to do. Create. I love it. To be honest, if I were just doing one of these things I would probably get bored of it eventually. The diversity of things I create keeps me interested, and I am sure I will expand to many more throughout my life.

You've been playing guitar in a band for 12 years, you studied guitar in college. Talk about your history and your relationship with music and specifically with the guitar.
I picked up guitar around age 13 or so. My mom had a couple of classical guitars lying around from her days as a Mariachi. She showed me a couple of licks and I took off with it. I remember my first lesson was the first four notes to La Bamba. I played those four notes every day for about three months because that was all I knew. I eventually started finding other people who knew how to play and had them teach me. Eventually we started calling ourselves a band and practicing all the time, even though my first couple of bands never performed for anything more than our parents and friends in a garage. I may have played a total of two gigs before I left high school. In college, I started over with new people but gigs were a lot easier to come by. I didn't actually change my major to music until my fourth year of college. I was doing engineering and philosophy before that because it had been drilled into me that I needed to have what other people thought of as a "real" job. You know, eight to five Monday through Friday. (God, that is my worst nightmare.) I wasn't doing to well in school. I wasn't a hard partier or anything, but I lost my full ride and got kicked out of the College of Engineering because I was spending too much time with my music. It wasn't until I got kicked out and had a total breakdown that I said "Hey, I am spending all of my time with my music anyway, might as well make it my major." So, I spent the next five years of college as a guitar/music technology major and all of the sudden my grades went up because I actually cared about what I was learning. I played in bands that whole time, and for a while after (up until a few months ago really) and finally gave that up to focus on other pursuits.

What is the most misunderstood part of the work you do?
Out of all the things I do, I would say that the most misunderstood part is how important sound is to a film. I have seen so many independent films that put all of their focus on what a film looks like, but their only expectation of the sound was that it was there. Those films are lacking. I saw an example one time of the same scene done with good picture and bad sound vs. bad picture and good sound. When it sounds right the viewers think the bad picture is done for effect. Vice versa the film seems lacking in production value.

What is the biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge for me is to temper my desire to perfect my art. I try so hard to be the best at what I do, but sometimes I spread myself to thin because there are too many things I am trying to perfect. And if I spend all my time learning, then I sacrifice the time I could be spending doing.

The biggest reward?
The biggest reward is the end product. I get such a sense of fulfillment when I have a great design, or photo, or song, or film in my hand that I can be proud of.

Austin is touted nationwide as the creative capital of the country. What's it like to live there? How is it different than other places you’ve lived?
Well, I am actually from Houston. Oklahoma is just where I spent my college days, and in a large part is where I discovered my desires and talents. But I have always been drawn to Austin. I wanted to move here right after high school, but I couldn't pass up the full ride Oklahoma was giving me. So I basically moved down right after I graduated. Six months later, I am well into building my career, and my business. Austin in amazing, I love how the populace supports the arts. There is so much more to do here…lots of outdoor fun, live music, a sense of keeping things natural, spiritual. Plus there is actually a market for me to do what I want to do and make a living at it. In Oklahoma I could find films to work on, and bands to record, and pictures to take, etc. But there wasn't enough of it going around to quit my day job. There were plenty of people interested in this stuff, but very few who were willing to follow through with it. Maybe it was because they didn't have the public support Austin has.

Who are the people whose work have influenced you? Who are your personal heroes?
There are so many places to pull influence, and inspiration from. Sadly enough, most of the photography and graphics I see I never know whose works they are. Music, is totally different though. I definitely have my favorite artists and producers. For guitar I am a huge Santana fan. As far as bands go I am really into all of Maynard's projects, System of a Down, Maroon 5, and a lot of old Michael Jackson stuff… His music was phenomenally produced. Danny Lohner is a pretty bad ass as a producer and musician. He has his fingers in so much of my favorite music. As far as personal heroes: Maynard, da Vinci. Da Vinci was into all types of art too. He got into and excelled at everything. I do completely different types of art, but I see him as inspiration of how much one man can accomplish.

Introducing Austin Artist ... Douglas Brown

Name: Douglas Brown
Age: 31
Location: Austin, TX
Occupation: I do so many things: Painter, Graphic Artist, Illustrator, and most recently I've gotten into storyboarding for television and film. I guess you could say I do anything creative.

Websites:
For graphic design: www.albumartist.com
Plain ol’ art: www.douglasbrownartist.com
Personality: www.myspace.com/douglasbrownartist
To buy prints, magnets, mugs and more: www.cafepress.com/douglasbrown
This is the second in a series of interviews with Austin Artists.

1. Talk briefly about your work at Albumartist.
Albumartist is a graphic design studio based in Austin, Texas. Since 2003, we’ve been producing work for a wide variety of clients: musicians, bars, entertainment venues, film makers, manufacturers, and city departments. I provide identity branding, sales and marketing material, illustration and storyboard services. At Albumartist, I'm the lead designer so everything you see come out of that office is my work. My style as a designer is to have everything very clean and simple, but many times I have to follow the clients' aesthetics. After all, they sign the checks. In regards to my paintings and illustrations, it really depends on what the client is seeking. I'd love to have someone commission me to create a book cover where I could actually paint in my style.

2. At first glance your paintings and illustrations seem to have an Asian influence, but you say the influence is actually Andalusia, Spain. How did you develop an interest in the culture there and how has it influenced your work?
My influences come from all over the place. Let’s see if I can trace it back.

Comics I tried my hand at self publishing a long time ago. Got to the first issue and it was just too much work to write, draw, ink, and market the title. But the line work and style of comics stayed with me. I've sought out cultures that use a lot of line work and detail in their art ever since. I started with the Maya because that was the origin of the character. Then in 2002-3 I went to Panama to visit family during Carnaval. I loved it. It got me interested in looking into my heritage, Kuna Indians. They have a tremendous amount of detail in their work and very rich colors. After I made a set of paintings inspired by the rainforests, and those cultures, I decided to look into other cultures with lots of detail in their work. I'm making it a goal to try a little of every culture. My dream would be to raise funds to visit these places. Although books and the web are helpful, I'm missing something by not actually being there. So if anyone wants to fund a trip in exhcange for art, contact me through the sites listed above. :)

Shakira Yes. That's right. The pop singer. She's only a couple of years younger than me but she's been involved in her passion all her life. I used to draw quite a lot but I let myself go stale and got involved with everyday activities. It made me wonder what or where I would be if I'd dedicated myself like that. It pissed me off and got me painting again, and I'd love to thank her for it. She is the subject of "Something in the way..." which is pretty much the lynch pin of my style. It has everything: beautiful woman, tons of detail, exotic setting, mixed mediums. If I ever become collectable, that's the piece to own.

Ancient cultures After Mayan, my interest drifted over to Middle Eastern art, which in turn came from the war. I remember seeing on the news how people were buying lots of copies of the Qur'an and other texts to get a feel for the culture there. I thought about some of the buildings like the Hagia Sofia and thought "Oh yeah, they do have some cool looking stuff" so I picked up a book on Moorish architecture. I was totally blown away by it. Now that I've done a few works with those influences, I'm starting to drift again and look into Japan.

Women What can I say? I love looking at them. Pretty much every one of the cultures I've been painting has in unique way of painting their women through decoration. At first I did nothing but nudes because I love the curves women have. Then I started placing them in these wonderful settings of these far away places. After that, I started integrating architectural motifs of these cultures as tattoos on the women. Now, I'm painting drapery and revealing form through the clothing and making them sexy and strong is my challenge.

3. How does it feel to sell a piece of your work?

It is a rush to know that someone out there likes your work enough to pay for it. I'm always happy to sell a piece but afterwards, there is a little tinge of sadness because I'll probably never see it again except for the prints, and the memories making it. This is especially true when it is a piece that holds lots of meaning, like this one painting, "Oksana". It was a life size painting of a guitar player with a prosthetic arm and covered in tattoos telling the story of how she lost her arm. At the time I was writing a screenplay and had to get this girl out of my head, so I made the painting. She looked incredible. Late at night I would talk to her about the story, life, etc. Everyone else didn't care much for her, but for me it was difficult to let her go.

4. Austin is undoubtedly the creative capital of the country. How do you think growing up there influenced your art? What role has your Panamanian heritage had in your art and your life?
(Growing up in Austin) definitely influenced my love of music. My early work revolved around musicians. That is the reason my company is called Albumartist. Originally I made the company to cater to musicians but over time, I expanded to other businesses. As for my heritage ... I think going to Panama really sparked my curiosity in studying other cultures.

5. You talk about the influence of your mother on your work. Tell us about her and how she has made a difference in your life and those around her?
My mother was from Panama. She met my dad when he was stationed there. She was a beauty queen and won a number of titles. Shortly after I was born, we moved to Austin. I think things started to fall apart after he came back from being in Alaska. He started to drink. Then he left us high and dry. My mom didn't know much English and took two, sometimes three jobs to keep the house going. When she would work, her friends watched over us. My brother knows more about it than I do. I was kept sheltered from all the things that happened. I know that she's incredibly strong and never wanted anything back from us in return other than to do our best. When I decided to go to school for art, she supported the decision, and still does. I would say that she's the strongest woman I've ever met.
When it comes to my pantings, I'm not interested in having them be sexy. Let's face it, if I wanted a pin up girl, I'd buy a photograph. Instant gratification and perfect realism. In my work, I want to create women in fantastic settings that are sensual, caring, and strong, and be a reflection of the women I grew up around.

Introducing Austin Artist ... John Haney

Age: Old enough to know better, to young to care.
Location: Texas Hill Country / Highland Lakes.
Occupation: Graphics guy, creative, painter, lawn jockey and hillbilly.
Website: http://johnhaney.typepad.com



This is the first in a series of interviews we've titled the Austin Artist Series.

1. You "paid your dues" as a graphic designer working in advertising and marketing firms. How do you compare your work in commercial art to the work you do now that you have left the corporate world and devoted yourself full time to your art?
I wouldn't say I "paid my dues" as a graphic designer. I loved almost every minute. When I think of one paying one’s dues, its more like some physical endeavor, a test of endurance and/or nerves. Maybe I paid my dues before I got into the creative field. Farming and ranching, hot tar roofing, hardware sales, plus lots of other mundane jobs, it didn't take long to figure out these were not for me. Then rough-necking, the last gig before the arts, a love-hate relationship of a job. These are the men that punch the hole in the earth and drill down to where the oil or gas is supposed to be, and then move to the next hole every 1-3 months. I had only thought I had done physically demanding, dirty, nasty, and dangerous work before. This was the real deal. And the interesting characters one meets -- on one crew I worked on (four men), I was the only one that had NOT done jail time. I was in my early 20s and learned a lot of new
things.

Graphic design never felt like real work. I still love the graphic arts. I felt so lucky to be a part of the business, at the time in Austin there was only a couple of agencies with accounts over a million dollars. Getting into the business was the most difficult, the competition was stiff. And to stay in the business for 20 years seems like a miracle. I still enjoy collaborating and working on graphic design assignments from time to time.

Comparing the type of work for the commercial art world to what I'm doing now is a bit different. Organizations paid me to create on demand -- make some thing, convey a predefined message, make it attractive, pretty, easy to digest, move one to action. I have the most respect for great copy writers. Now, as a painter, no one pays me to create. Funding comes from those that enjoy the creations by electing to place them in their homes or offices to enjoy daily, to share with others. Would you think a lot of people have thoughts of escaping/exploring, to write, paint, create, sing, dance, to follow one’s bliss? In the dream it seems so romantic. But is it?

2. You do a great job of painting people's faces and, in fact, that's your most recent collection of work on your site. What draws you to this particular form?
This series "Painted Faces" started by chance and grew into some thing I hadn't imagined at the time. Most all of us are voyeurs. People watching is a past time is older than dirt. You could say that’s how it started, seeing someone that looked interesting. At the mall, in traffic, on the street, at a party, a snapshot, a picture, they are everywhere. Every person has a story or two, some times it can be read in their face. .


The series also began to grow from a desire to explore. Explore a singular subject matter, different techniques, styles, moods, color combinations, movements in art history, pay homage to artists of influence, have fun with it. I'm not sure if there is an end to the "Painted Faces" series. Maybe, when I get to one hundred paintings, I publish a book "101 Painted Faces by John Haney."

Throughout this journey of exploring the subject matter I've learned about Eastern and Western ideas about the human face. The Buddha’s face, the closest to what one would call “perfect,” demonstrates symmetry and balance from the top, middle, bottom and side-to-side, giving the viewer a sense of harmony and peace. In Chinese medicine, a beautiful face is said to be a harmonious face. The Chinese art of “face reading” is an expression of the belief that observation of the face can reveal the personality and health of the patient, thereby allowing for diagnosis and treatment. Even in Western corporate culture, the human face is used as a meter for one’s psychological and emotional profile.

I am offering the viewer the opportunity to reflect on a fleeting image and to examine it more intimately. Each viewer brings his or her own unique experiences to the table and is free share in the universality of the human face on his or her own terms. A hope to delight in the unusual juxtaposition of colors, the unexpected surprises found in the provocative personalities depicted in the portraits.

3. You grew up in small towns, spent your commercial art career in the vibrant city of Austin, and now have settled in Texas Hill Country. How has each influenced your art and your personality?
Living in Austin 20 years, it's not difficult to find/see an interesting character for inspiration. What a great city, I love it, and 60 miles or less in any direction is the prettiest country in the great state of Texas. All of my youth was living in
rural areas of Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas. That old saying; "you can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy" is true for me. I feel blessed to be on this chunk of earth. It is an easy drive into Austin, and Dallas, San Antonio and Houston are down the road to enjoy all they offer and to the airport to getaway to the cultural capitals of the world. Its great to get away, even better getting back. It's fun, interesting, inspiring to visit other places. I don't know if I could or would enjoy calling somewhere else home base as much as this area. Me Casa.

4. Tell us how you go about the process of your work.
My process? Hmmm. I don't know if I have one. It varies. Some days I try to make a plan, X amount of hours on this task or the other, then move to the next, X amount of time painting. Other times its the first thing I do in the morning, sitting in my boxers with paint on brush, before ya know its midday, I am starving and parched. Most of the evening/night, getting a bit irritated when I need to stop, eat, go to the bathroom and other mundane tasks. It's strange when all things are flowing in harmony, time and space slips away, you wonder how did all this come together and who did it. It’s been a great day.

5. Please share with us an image of one of your paintings and tell us how it came to be, the story that it tells.
The image I've chosen to share here is called "High-Lites in her Hair.” The idea/thought was born of overhearing some ladies talk about getting highlights. I had no idea. I then started to notice hair highlights, natural and cosmetic. I've seen hair jobs that are quite artistic. I thought how fun, to paint highlights of colour. Also this one was a bit of a break thru for me. I was loosening up. I had
executed a hand that I wasn't ashamed of, I really enjoyed playing with colors, the eyes fell into place, the composition pleased me. This one had more rights than wrongs for my eyes any way.

With my paintings I want to, I hope to, bring something, and offer something. Give, share, exchange. Bring joy, it may have visual appeal. Is it interesting or insightful. I am so thankful for the oppurtunity to share my craft. The hope is that others may find something joyful of these creations. Right now I think my gig is to try to provide, individuals with an imaginative experience that maybe a bit more intense, revealing, and a meaningful version of an actual experience. Art improves our surroundings and stimulates creative thinking. It provides cultural benefits and enrichments.

The reason I ask questions

As I have scrolled through a variety of blogs and discussion boards and even posted notes seeking interviews for this blog, I've had a lot of inquiry about what my motivation is for doing a blog like this.

It's simple ... The stories I hear are inspiring.

As an example, I recently asked a group of Craigslist users in Philadelphia "Is there an article of clothing you'd never part with?"

A 74 year old man who calls himself Harley responded by saying he would never part with his late son's baseball cap and team shirt.

It seems that 28 years ago, Harley's 19-year old son had just joined the Marines and was on his way to basic training with a buddy. They were involved in a car accident and 18 hours later, Harley's son was dead. Harley still feels guilty that he couldn't have somehow delayed his son just a few minutes.

He describes his son as "funny, intelligent, handsome and my only child."

"He was all I had, my only child and his mother had died of cancer only five years before."

Harley keeps the shirt and cap and launders them every year, remembering that baseball was his son's passion.

"I once punished him for 'cutting classes' at school to sneak off to a Phillies game. At the time it seemed fitting, NOW it’s still a lump in my throat."

Rest in Peace: Norman Mailer

Literary giant Norman Mailer died this morning in New York. He was 84. (read more)

More than his death, this man's life was remarkable. He was the epitome of the non-conformist attitudes of his era. In so many ways, he knew unequivocally what it meant to pursue his own path and was never afraid to do it. I am partial to him for his role in co-founding the Village Voice, one of America's first truly successful underground newspapers. In doing so, a speaker was created for voices that might never have been heard. Of course, as Hunter at the Huntington (NY) Public Library's Adult Reference and Services Department posts, "It was impossible to ignore someone who wrote in the voice of God, the devil and everyone in between."

Other comments left about Mailer in the blogosphere:

"As the oldest-living enfant terrible in human history, he gave American literature and the times in which he lived the best show it ever had or could ever want." -- posted by Tom Sutpen at If Charlie Parker was a Gunslinger, There'd Be a Whole Lot of Dead Copycats

"A brilliant writer who will not only be missed, but read in perpetuity." -- posted by Anthony Rainone at his home Anthony Rainone's Criminal Thoughts

Readers can find a great account of Mailer's life at Fair Proxy Web, where writer Izabel, sums it all up by saying, "He made the most of his own time on Earth."

To hear Mailer in his own words, check out this Rolling Stone interview with him.

Introducing M. Heart

Age: 36
Location: Western Massachusetts
Occupation: Graphic Designer, Art Director
Website: www.secretnotebookswildpages.blogspot.com


1. You created your blog Secret Notebooks • Wild Pages a few months ago. It's a beautiful collection of your own work as well as the work of others. How are you enjoying blogging and how has it changed your daily outlook on things?
when i created secret notebooks • wild pages, i didn't really have a clear idea of what i would focus on or where it would lead. however, only days after my first post a friend handed me a copy of Artful Blogging magazine. through it, i was introduced to challenge blogs and the wonderful, creative community who participates in them. immediately i wanted to be involved — i love a good creative challenge. as soon as i started, people began to visit the site and leave positive feedback. it was very inspiring, and i knew right away i wanted to take the blog in a more creative and personal direction than i'd originally thought i would. as a result, the last couple of months have been a very creative period for me. i'm constantly taking photos, considering my next digital illustration, and looking for new artists and events to write about. it keeps my mind occupied and my thoughts more focused and positive. i look forward to seeing where else it might lead.

How did you choose the name?
the writing of jack kerouac has had a profound influence on me, and name of the blog is taken from his "Belief and Technique for Modern Prose." it's the first of his 30 steps towards spontaneous writing, "scribbled secret notebooks, and wild typewritten pages, for yr own joy." i'm amazed by how many of kerouacs 30 steps seem appropriate to blogging. "write in recollection and amazement for yrself," "write for the world to read and see yr exact pictures of it" "struggle to sketch the flow that already exists intact in mind" there's no doubt in my mind that if jack kerouac were alive today, he would have a blog — a crazy, joyful, adventure of a blog, to share with us. adopting one of kerouacs 'rules' as the name of my own blog reminds me to keep the posts natural, truthful, and uninhibited.

2. You post something every day and highlight the work of so many varied artists, while sharing your own work and thoughts as well. How do you go about choosing your subjects each day?
for years, i carried an unlined sketchbook with me everywhere. i'd constantly jot down random thoughts, sketches, names, recipes, lists...everything. secret notebooks • wild pages is my new sketchbook — the only difference is that it's digital and i'm no longer afraid to share it with people. i try to keep the subjects spontaneous, and don't plan them out more than a day ahead. most of the photos and pieces of art were created only hours before they were posted. i'm a creature of habit and motivated to post every day — which motivates me to create something to post every day.

3. Some of your latest entries share your sadness over your mother's recurring battle with cancer as well as a bit of the feeling of your own fall depression. In other times you posted self portraits of you in a new hoody dress and also in a unique blend of feminine and vintage. How does it feel to put your emotions and style on display for the world to see?
when i was a little girl out shopping with my parents, they'd sometimes discover that i'd snuck into the window display with the manequins and was posing there, perfectly still, attracting the attention of people passing by. being behind the computer screen feels a lot like being in those window displays. you'd never catch me walking down the street in a crazy wig and white mask, because i'm rather shy in person, and doing so would mortify me. but if i could stand in a window somewhere, very still and quiet and wait for people to notice...

as for emotions, they are much more difficult to put out there. however, everyone has experienced sadness, depression, and anxiety at some point, and can hopefully relate. i've read some very personal, poignant posts on other blogs, and even if i haven't experienced the exact same situation in my own life - the loss of a child, for example - i have experienced loss, and i can empathize and maybe try to offer words of support. or, be reminded to count my blessings. we live in a society in which we don't socialize with friends and family as much as we used to. i think we're turning to the internet to replace that, searching for a support network, some kind of connection. whether or not we'll find one there, i don't know.

4. The series on puppets is fascinating? What drew you to the subject?
i've always been fascinated by puppets, and used to drive up to st. johnsbury, vt every summer to attend bread and puppet's "domestic resurrection circus & pageant" weekend, until they stopped holding them in 1998. a week after meeting j, almost 13 years ago now, i went to his apartment for the first time only to discover a whole cast of very unique, detailed marionettes on his living room floor. when he told me he'd made them, i was completely blown away. there's something timeless about them, and they seem to have been bestowed with a bright spark of life. they told me a lot about the imaginative, detail-oriented person who created them, and they didn't lie - apparently puppets don't fib — except for Pinocchio.

5. You talk a lot about your commute and even shared a great NPR piece on commuters. Describe some of the fascinating things you have seen and heard as you travel.
my 40-minute commute takes me on some beautiful, mountainous roads. there are rolling green hillsides dotted with black and white cows, sweeping views of the bershire mountains, quiet woods, quaint houses and often a beautiful moonrise. it's gorgeous to look at, but far from exciting. there aren't many other cars to deal with, or people to look at. there's nowhere to stop for a decent cup of coffee or a pizza. i don't think i'll ever get used to that. if i'm not listening to my ipod, the only station that comes in is npr (which is fine, actually). my commute gives me a lot of time to reflect. oddly, the first and only time i've ever seen the northern lights was while driving home from work one night. i thought something was on fire in the distance. than i thought there must be something wrong with my eyes. it wasn't until i pulled over that i realized i was experiencing the northern lights - an other-worldly green and red flickering over the berkshires. i wish there could have been someone else on the road to see it with me!

one other scene does stand out in my mind though. it's since been torn down, but there was a crazy old ramshackle farmhouse i'd pass by every day. an old man with long white hair and a long white beard used to live there, with a menagerie of farm animals - cows, pigs, chickens, dogs, cats. the house was quite crooked. there were piles of random junk in the yard, half hidden behind unmowed grass and weeds. it was a mess — but it was also fascinating. sometimes i would drive by and catch sight of the cows standing with their front legs on the porch, staring into the windows and front door, which was seldom closed. one summer afternoon, i caught a glimpse of the man sitting on a wooden chair in his overgrown yard. the sun was behind him and glowing through his white hair and beard. standing behind him, one on each side, were two cows, their heads bowed over his shoulders. in front of him were a couple of the dogs. he had a chicken on his lap. the whole scene was illuminated by the saintly yellow light of the setting sun, and if i ever learn to paint, that scene will be the first one i try to recapture.