This last spring my Handlettering class was invited to participate in an amazing opportunity. Inspired by Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States, the Kansas People's History Project was a call for artists across the state to create posters celebrating/making known obscure parts of Kansas History. All the entries can be seen here on the website. I was honored to have mine selected to make special edition screen prints and was asked to speak in Lawrence at the Watkins Museum of History.
Here are some inspiration photos, sketches, and my final piece about Buddy Heaton, Buffalo Trainer and Rodeo Clown Extraordinaire.
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For Untold Stories, I wanted to have a cohesive set of works that all fit together, applied to the theme of the show, AND would hold my interest for the months that it would take to complete it. Lots of stipulations there... I decided to center the show around local spots in Pittsburg, KS. The summer before last was my first spent here in the burg, working at a pool shop (I was a pool boy, for clarification) and I will tell you, I fell in love with this town. I hear people complain almost daily about being trapped here, with nothing to do... But I have no qualms. I am qualmless. This town is quiet, simple, and incredibly m-i-d-w-e-s-t-e-r-n. I straight up love this place. So I found it enormously fitting that my series show these quiet perfect little places that often get ignored, or are seen as commonplace or insignificant. UNTOLD STORIES IF YOU WILL... ;) My first set of pieces were to celebrate the donut shop down the block from my house in Pitt: Next I focused on my favorite bar, Mooreman's Southside as well as my park of choice, Lakeside Park: Among other pieces, I included my favorite thing about Pittsburg, The people. Here is one example: This town and everything in it has shaped who I am today and I was honored to share it's stories.
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