February 2022
I received a lot of emails last month about my attempted back surgery. I truly appreciate your concerns and kind words, and thank you Bill for the book. I am slowly working on a back stretching regiment and workout. Marci purchased me an inversion table and I am using it. My back still has some pain, but I am learning how to deal with it, and accept this is the way life is going to be at this age. Sunday I did my first long bike ride, and it made me very happy.
We went to see David Hamrick who worked tirelessly on the concept, layout and structure of what my retrospective book might become. He went through thousands of contact sheets, made xerox’s, and pasted together all the possible chapters. It was a lot of work and his ability to edit shined through. He has given me good direction on which to build on.
Texas Country Reporter did a segement on me that aired last Sunday. I received several calls and emails, and it sounds like I didn’t come off like the dork I can be. In the early 90’s TCR did a story featuring the photo lampshades I made. There was a photographer named W D Smithers, who made them 40 years prior, and I wanted to revive his idea. At that time Smithers was the most recognized photographer of the Big Bend. The Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas purchased Smithers life's work, and so I went there to show the shade to Roy Flukinger, the curator at that time. As I presented he said “Oh a Smither’s lampshade. I said no Roy, an Evans' lampshade. I made less than 200 lamps before I ran out of material.
It was good to meet Bob Phillips. He is an institution, and what an accomplishment he has done with TCR for 50 years.
**The Texas Country Reporter feature will air again nationwide on RFD-TV Friday, February 18, at 8 p.m. CST.**
**Javelina**
I have seen iconic images of Bison that makes my mind imagine what their role was to the American Indian. And how they were decimated to make way for the onslaught of western civilization. I can still see that image of the huge pile of carcasses, bones and skulls. Thinking of the seriousness of that, I wanted to add a little humor and make a portrait of a Javelina in the same vein.
**Image of the Month_Kickapoo Boy Swinging**
I shot this image on assignment for Texas Monthly. I worked with the late great Jan Reid on this story, and we did it over a three month period traveling to Nacimiento, Mexico where the Kickapoo tribe have a reservation granted by the Mexican government in 1852. It was an amazing experience for me. We were allowed to witness from a distance, but not photograph a ceremonial dance for the woman. It was magical. The Hale-Bopp comet was blazing in the sky, Dorothy and Jan were still alive and healthy. (Jan was shot while on assignment in Mexico City in April 1998.) I have had the pleasure and good fortune to work with some great writers and fellow photographers. They have made my life more meaningful.