Tag Archives: cowboys

I thought I wanted to write about…

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the state of the world, culture, democracy..blah blah blah. However, after very little thought…I’m not doing that. No one is waiting on my thoughts or opinions. I’m quite certain (roughy 100%) that my adult children would agree.

Instead, I’m posting art I’ve never shared. Here you go…

A tractor faces a pirate ship with a seagal above. It is dreamlike.
A whale tale and a pirate ship are visible in a 1950s looking bathtub.
A toy figurine of a cowboy or ranger stands in front of a textured wall with abstract shapes, possibly representing bubbles or organic forms, with a faint outline of a child in the background.
Blurred view of a dimly lit road at night with light streaks from moving vehicles.
A blurred image featuring a spectrum of colors resembling a subtle rainbow, set against a soft, indistinct background.
Interior of an old room with weathered wooden walls, featuring a vintage couch with a quilted seat and two wooden side tables.
An interior view featuring a wooden wall with peeling paint, showcasing three chairs: a vintage wooden chair on the left, a central ornate chair with a maroon seat, and a simpler wooden chair on the right.
An artistic overlay of tree branches on an X-ray image of a human pelvis and spine.
A close-up of a wilted Echinacea flower with dried petals and a spherical, spiky center.
A wilted flower with a brown center and dried petals resting on a red table, accompanied by a green leaf.
Abstract illustration titled 'Ruler' featuring three red circles on pointed yellow shapes, with green rectangles beneath them.
An illustration of a hammer poised above a nail with the word 'EVERYMAN' prominently displayed above.
An artistic image of a faded photograph with abstract paint strokes overlaying a face. The text notes that it's a representation of 'My Mom' with a date of 1/19/01.
An abstract sculpture made from layered and stitched fabric, showcasing textures of light-colored leather and frayed edges against a black background.
Close-up view of a fabric featuring intricate textile patterns with varying textures and colors, including dark blue and beige sections.
Close-up view of a cracked asphalt road with a yellow directional arrow on the surface, surrounded by bare trees and an overcast sky.

“. . .Looking forward to things is half the pleasure of them.”
― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

wild prairie influence…

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My focus (obsession) continues to be my paternal great-granduncle, author & Sioux Falls, South Dakota dentist—William Otis Lillibridge 1879-1909. His 1905 book, Ben Blair was turned into a silent film in 1916, seven years after his death. His widow, Edith Keller Lillibridge was instrumental in getting the film made by Paramount.

I’ve sort of adopted my Uncle Will as my muse…a fellow creative. Reading his work and researching his life has made him feel quite real to me. I’ve learned a lot about his parents, siblings, the home he grew up in on the border of the Dakota Territory in Akron, Iowa, and his life in Sioux Falls. NOTE: I went to college in Sioux Falls and never knew his dental office was down the block from one of our favorite restaurants, Minerva’s.

“As everywhere upon the prairie, the quiet was almost a thing to feel.” —Ben Blair

We certainly have a shared love of the prairie. Maybe he would approve of me recasting myself in his film just for fun…or possibly find no humor in these images whatsoever. From what I’m learning, he seems like he was a rather serious fellow. However, with no one left one to ask, I’m left with little to base my hunches on.

BEN BLAIR—ACT I

The Sanity of the Wild

…in the warm sunny plat south of the barn, a small boy and a still smaller girl were engaged in the fascinating occupation of becoming acquainted. The little girl was decidedly taking the initiative.
…she had an independence, a dominance, born perhaps of the wild prairie influence, that at times made her parents almost gasp.
…bleared faces and keen hawk-like eyes were more closely drawn. The dull rattle of poker chips lasted longer, frequently far into the night, and even after the tardy light of morning had come to the rescue of the sputtering stumps in the candlesticks.

Florence touched his arm. “Ben,” she pleaded,

“Ben, forgive me. I’ve hurt you. I can’t say I love you.”

The End

SOURCES: 

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0510388/

BEN BLAIR on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NfwmMA3JNBE?feature=shared
READ ONLINE: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/17844/pg17844-images.html