Artist's Journal 3-12-07

Artist’s Journal

Morton Brown

3.12.07

I have made some progress on the design this week-special thanks to Sue Tebo and Toni Johnson for sending me some reference photos. I have found a model (my daughter, Lily) for the flying kid in the extreme foreground and-although the portrait is still unfinished-am working on bringing some life into that character.

I have also settled on a quilt pattern for her cape: The Arkansas Traveler. I gathered many patterns from my friends and relatives that are/were indigenous to Arkansas, but settled on this design as it was most interesting visually, but also had a nice sort of connotation to Arkansas history. The colors that currently exist in the quilt of the design are not final-I merely used some arbitrary colors to spec out the pattern and get my bearings. I will be receiving some actual quilt images and swatches from my relatives that will better inform the final piece (gingham and other fabric swatches will replace the flat diamonds and squares).

Note that I have begun placing some other portraits in the piece. In the lower right corner of the painting, James John Doyne (founder of UCA, aka The Arkansas Normal School, 1907) is now sitting on the park bench watching the children play, returning the gaze of the viewer, and I imagine will be greeting pedestrians and drivers coming down Oak Street. To the left of the flying kid, notice that I have developed the “teacher” a bit more. I still don’t have a good idea for reference, but I have placed her in a mock-period costume from around the turn of the century for now. She is presenting a lesson to some of her favorite PBS television characters. I will be looking at some of the more prominent female educators of Conway for inspiration.

Further to the left, the rest of the painting has been further developed. In the lower center, I have given the conductor a little more of a visage. He is now wearing coveralls and is starting to make me think of the legend of John Henry, steel-drivin’ man…Next to him is the kid sitting “Indian style”, wearing a Native American costume. Just above John Henry is the first of the model town toys to be placed in the picture. This is the Arkansas State Normal original building circa 1907, that later became Cordrey Science Building (UCA). The boy setting up the railroad tracks just next to this building will most likely represent Colonel Robinson who founded Conway by being given the land through his work with the railroad (although I am having a tough time coming up with a costume for this child, other than a period business suit…).

The other two buildings that I have merely roughed in at this point will most likely represent Hendrix and Central Baptist College that will be developed through-interestingly enough-some color post cards from an early period that was found through the UCA slide library (thanks again to Sue Tebo). The last building to the extreme left of the picture is not a church, but a rendering of Conway’s Little Green Building-the first public school in Conway circa 1879-80. I am still searching for characters and costumes to fill in these last two characters that remain unfinished. Like I said, the railroad-layer will most likely represent Asa Robinson, but I need some good pictures of him-hopefully at work, if possible…The kid with the airplane can remain anonymous, but it would be good to get an idea of an early pioneer in Conway’s transportation authority or airport.

For the next week, I will continue to bring this picture into focus, continue my research, place some school bus toys (Ward/International buses), horses and barnyard animals, Toad Suck Ferry(although our friend Kermit could stand in for the proverbial Toad Suck) and a cotton gin amidst the playset area. Adding all of these minute details may seem to be overkill, but I really want the piece to function on two levels, as I discussed last time: First, to grab your attention from a distance with a 22 foot tall figure of a kid in a quilt-cape, and secondly, with a lot of details and historical references that will make you want to stop, get out of your car, and linger and discuss upon closer inspection.

Please let me know your thoughts and keep sending me pictures and data. With the preliminary design presentation only about one month away, I will be bringing this design toward completion at a rapid pace.

Thanks again for your continued participation and support, and I’ll talk to you again next week.

-Morton