Artsy

Do you consider yourself to be an "artsy" person? My text string with friends recently devolved in to talk about art. One of my friends plans to take online drawing lessons. How cool is that? I must admit, the texting chatter had initially started with a rundown of our ailments - including hand arthritis! But it evolved to art talk. That's how our strings go. They are such therapy for me, especially in this isolated time.  

These texts are with my friends from childhood. At one point I lamented about how our conversations have evolved through the years! Starting with toys and playing, to boys, school ("Mrs. Harter was mean today!"), and makeup - onto relationships and then kids for some of us. We talk about lots of things nowadays like weather, family, the state of the world, and health.  Don't forget pets! It's nice that they share their furbaby pics with me.  

This week it was fun to be on a message string about hobbies that feed our creative selves. As friends of 40, 50, and for a couple even 60 years, we know each others' family trees. We talked about where in our family trees those art genes may have come from. I've got some serious art genes. Please note: I don't really know if there are "art" genes. Maybe it's nature plus nurture. I do know that some of us enjoy things that others don't. It's it grand that we're not all the same? 

 

My grandfather, Wallace Orville Bullock (we called him Bubba) was the first generation artist that I know about. As an older man, Bubba took up oil painting as a hobby. He and a friend, Louis Reinig, traveled to Omaha for art classes. I am fortunate to have one of the first paintings he did - plus two others. He was a prolific painter as his children and grandchildren all ended up with one or more of his lovely works. He painted landscapes. I remember him using pictures in magazines as models/inspiration. A whole room in their home at 909 Poplar in Atlantic served as his painting spot. It was filled with easels, canvasses and paint.  

One of Bubba's later works

Bubba's daughter, my Aunt Marty is very artsy and creative. She's collected art from around the world as she traveled with my Uncle Bill and served as a docent at the Denver Art Museum for years. Her sis, my Aunt Jeanie is a talented cross-stitcher and I remember her sewing too. 

Aunt Jeanie, Bubba, Momo with Charlie the dog

                                                                                                   Dad with Marty and Jean

I don't remember Dad (Marty and Jean's older brother) displayed any artsy talents. I fondly recall that during my folks' Florida years, he helped collect shells to spray and personalize with sharpies for each of Jud and Amy's classmates. He certainly was a snazzy dresser. And he was funny and had a way with words - crafting them into things still say today. For example, I just saw Pontiac (car) the other day and I caught myself chanting Pontiaciaciac. Why? Because that's what Dad would say. That makes me smile. 

Dad with his girls

Of my siblings, sister Cindy was identified early as the artistic one. You can bet she lorded her artsiness over me, one of little patience (and skill) for coloring and drawing. Later she majored in art education at Drake, and I benefitted from some of the projects she completed - jewelry and clay pots. Cindy still has a great sense of style that I admire - she got the gift. 

Amy did this award winning watercolor in high school

In our own family, Amy self-identified as an artist at an early age. She cranked out drawings on recycled computer paper from Paul's office from the time she could hold a marker. Amy loved creating books - she'd illustrate and I'd fill in the text. Her creativity throughout childhood was amazing. When others made posters for the science fair, she "created" one with fonts, backgrounds, and colors. It was her destiny to become some type of artist in life. Amy's fluorishing graphic design business keeps growing and changing as she adds skills. Jud has the talent of absorbing information in spongelike fashion - you want him on your trivia team. 

When my homie friends and I were texting about artistic talents, we agreed that even though some of us are not as talented when it comes to drawing or painting - that doesn't mean we shouldn't try! And, we know that everyone has talents - some are just more subtle. The nice thing is when you reach a certain age you finally have time to nurture your creative side - flower arranging, wood-working, photography, cooking, music, sewing, painting, writing, and many more that I haven't even considered. 

Or you can calm your soul by completing jigsaw puzzles while listening to books. Have a great Thanksgiving dear readers. It may not be the one you had hoped and planned for, but there is much to be thankful for. Stay safe and healthy! 

Atown Friends

Top - Cindy and me. Bottom - Jane and Jeanne.

I know, I missed another night of posting. I have a good excuse. I was busy. No not washing my hair. I was getting together with people from Atlantic that I hadn't seen for many years. Some Facebook friends.


I reconnected with these ladies, mostly classmates (one the parent of a classmate) on Facebook in the past year. They all live in the Des Moines area. They had all met for brunch one Sunday a few months ago, but this time they planned their get-together so I could attend.

Jane Buck is the mother of my little buddy of my childhood Tommy Buck. Sister Susi hung out with Linda Buck - that's probably how I hooked up with Tom. Bucks lived about a block from us in the post WWll neighborhood called Fairlawns - single story one car garage homes built in the flat area just down the hill from our house. It was fun to ride my bike there, but the way back was hell.

I mostly liked Tommy because he had all the good boy toys - little green army men, baseball gloves and caps and guns. Jane recalls my mother Pat Bullock calling her to warn that Tommy was invited to my birthday, wondering if he would be bothered that he was the only boy. Jane said he wasn't.

Sadly, Tom and his mother are estranged. Granted I only have her story - which is Tom's wife is very strange and jealous. She cuts Tom off from everyone and every thing. Tom attended the Junior College in Council Bluffs and has made a fortune as a Lab Tech. Not sure how, but it doesn't sound like a happy life to me - his wife has had a $100,000 makeover according to Jane.

Linda Buck has changed her name to Linden. Jane's husband Bill died very young (age 51) like many of the men who worked for Walnut Grove. Jane lives in a ritzy retirement apartment and is cancer free after breast cancer in 2008.

Jeanne Westbrook Smith was another neighbor from the hood, the I learned last night she attended Jackson (Jackass) School from the old part of town before they moved up on Bryn Mawr Circle - across the street and back yards from our house. All I had to do to get there was to walk through the Baxters little sweet corn field. (The Baxters were my godparents)

Until last night I totally blocked out that Jeanne had braces on her leg due to a hip problem. She said she had been in a wheelchair. I wonder if she's okay now - can she exercise? I also remembered later that Jeanne had ponies in a field just outside of town that I got to ride a couple times. Ecstasy!

Jeanne's parents ran the Atlantic Airport and she had a dance at the hangar one time - when I was dating Taco Ortiz (that relationship lasted 5 days or so), his dad managed the Pizza Hut. They moved away when we were in high school and Jeanne graduated from Ames High, but she's always invited back to our reunions. I regret I didn't get to know her better. Her husband Scott seems to be nice - they sell insurance coast to coast for planes, boats - weird to insure stuff. They have a couple college age kids.

Jeanne is also estranged from her family - sounds like a money thing though I don't know details. I don't remember the older sisters. Dick Westbrook used to mow our lawn.

Cindy Westfall comes from a large Catholic family so I knew her from CCD. She also went to Jackson School, but moved up to the newer neighborhood up by the YMCA in upper elementary - I remember going to a slumber party there. She said her mother told her to hang with Jeanne on the blacktop in in wheelchair during recess. Jeanne had blocked that out until they reconnected recently.

Cindy's Dad died young in 1969, so her mom had a tough task raising the large family alone. Cindy was very nice - eager to please. In high school she was one of those people I saw around and talked to at school, but didn't socialize with. She divorced after living in the Spencer area twenty years. She went back to school, lived back in Atlantic for a while and is an EMT. Yesterday she quit her job after being sexually harassed by a woman and not supported by management. She's remarried and her husband lives in Kansas City (even farther away than mine!)

We chatted and caught up on each others lives. After hearing about Jeanne and Jane's issues with family, I once again remembered to be so very thankful for how lucky and blessed I am for such good relationships with my sisters and with Paul's family. Here's to you my fam!