THE LONG TAIL OF PURPOSE

The need for purpose can haunt you and follow you into retirement. Even after a great career, raising you kids, having grandchildren and many accomplishments, there still can be a need to have some type of purpose in retirement.

Much is written about this subject and how to find missing purpose. Hobbies, family and volunteering help for a time. However, it never seems quite enough. We lived such an A to B life before retirement.

How do we find that purpose again, or should we at all? Most articles will urge you to strive for it. However, there is another way. It is to look beyond the need for the type of purpose we knew in the past. 

At some point, you start to realize that the driving need for purpose limits your enjoyment of the wonderful gift of free time that retirement gives us. A time when you can explore the full range of senses of what it means to enjoy life and be alive. The fresh fall breeze, the sounds of the city and nature, the taste and smell of a well prepared meal, the warmth of friends and family. When you put traditional purpose in the rear view mirror, you find yourself more in tune with the world.

All these things have little to do with purpose as we knew it. They will, though, make you a better person. One who moves through life more gently. You become a more positive force in the world. You may also find that you will recognize small and simple things you can do to help others along the way. I am not sure there is any greater purpose than that.

David Young

www.studiofour.com

ORDINARY THINGS

Ordinary Things

They are all around us, becoming the tapestry and canvas for our lives. Light plays with them, forming an origami of moods for us. We overlook and ignore them, but they wait patiently for our return home each day…

David Young

Studio Four Magazine www.studiofour.com

ORDINARY THINGS from David Young on Vimeo.

CORNERS

“Your Days will go the way of Corners” …. Winston Churchill

There are corners in all our lives. Some just a place to pause and reflect, some full of drama, some that lead to bad ways or new starts. 

Some are well worn taken many times. Still we never know exactly what is around each corner, but still make the turn. Carrying with us the slight fear of the unknown and the imagined hope of something or someone new. 

David Young

studiofour.com

EZELL HARDWARE

Ezell Hardware in Chester SC is not just a hardware store, it is a work of art. Operating continuously since 1886, Ezell’s importance to this small town can not be overstated.

Chester is a picturesque place. It is known as The Town on the Hill. The colors of the buildings and winding streets please your eye and camera. Despite growing industry around the town, Chester suffers from many empty storefronts. Hope abounds through local businesses, civic leaders and a growing community of artists. The town will come back. Part of that comeback in anchored by Ezell Hardware. 

Its not often that you equate art with hardware. Ezell is not intended to be that way, but the building, rows of parts, the hard to find items, the bible book of fittings and the courtesy of Elizabeth the owner draw you in.

Here you will find artful doors, a thousand hardware items you never knew existed, a sense of wandering calm of yesterday and even a great cast iron pan. All this is wrapped in a wonderful smell trapped in the hardwood over time.

And if you grow tired of wandering Ezell. You can walk across the street to Gene’s Restaurant. A true southern restaurant serving simple honest food, often straight from the farm. Like Ezell, there is nothing fancy here.  You will, however, be surrounded by interesting locals, overheard stories and 4.5 star rated food. A spot not to be missed, especially for breakfast.

Small towns don’t need much to flourish once again. Just a few places like Ezell Hardware to fill your appetite for the unique new discovery.

I wish you great wandering…

David Young

Studio Four Magazine www.studiofour.com

WALLS OF THE SOUTH

The South flourishes with small towns. The walls you find there have many stories, some told and others held close in mystery. They speak of the red of war both revolutionary and civil, of burning and rebirth. Walls may stand beside simple pathways. Some stand alone missing the building next to them, remembered only in marks on the wall. Many speak of happenings large and small. You can walk by them and not notice, or savor the textures and colors that they add to life in these small places.

David Young

Studio Four Magazine www.studiofour.com

FIELD GUIDE TO SMALL TOWNS

A FIELD GUIDE TO SMALL TOWNS

Small towns are away from the city and that is what makes them grand. I used to rush though these places, taking too much of the city with me. I did not realize their potential for discovery and interest.

This all changed when I moved to the South. Here there is wonderful wealth of small towns that beckon you to stay and savor them. Some are overblown with gift shops and fancy art venues. Some are raw bone with little on the surface to attract. Some are lovely with old architecture. Many have empty storefronts. You want to take them in your arms and make them right again.

I found myself making notes about these small places. Overtime, it grew into a journal and fostered a “Field Guide” of sorts to enjoying these special places. Here are some of my thoughts from wandering in small towns.

Before You Go

Study a map. You will not find many of these towns along freeways or even blue highways. Rather, it is good to follow highway signs reading 10 miles to Union or 5 miles to Ridgeway. They lead to two lane winding roads and the beginning of your quiet retreat from the City.

Take a camera. One that does not attract too much attention. Consider reading books like “Deep South” by Paul Theroux or “Blue Highways” by William Least Heat - Moon. They will set the mood and fuel your appetite for small town wandering.

History

Do a little research about the history of the town, why it even exists, and points of interest. Sometimes this leads to surprising finds. For instance, York SC was founded largely because of the Fergus Tavern located at a key crossroads. Inhabitants fiercely fought the British in two battles and remained the only area not defeated in the back and forth fighting of the Revolutionary War. It also played a key role in the civil war. The tavern must have served a good brew!

People

Challenge yourself to reach out and meet local people that look interesting. In Chester SC, I introduced myself to George Caldwell, an elegantly dressed black man, who was standing in front of his business. I learned that George is the town’s insurance agent and bail bondsman. 

He led me into his office filled with family and area artifacts. As we talked George paused and said, “He was not much for titles, but I might like to know he was also the Mayor of Chester.” 

I figured if I was ever in trouble in Chester, George would be good to know.

Architecture

The architecture in a small town is great visual art and the buildings have stories to tell.

Many small towns are like time capsules. The low profile buildings and Antebellum homes seem suspended in time. Their colors showing muted patina, hues, and patterns that delight your camera.

Culinary

Small towns are a tasty break from McDonalds and Taco Bell. The centers of town often have eating places that have survived for decades on the “honest food” they serve. In Camden, Blackmon’s Little Midget will serve you a burger “all worked up.”  Don’t be surprised if Allen Blackmon, who's family has owned it for over 50 years, visits your table to make sure the burger is right. 

The Bantam Chef in Chester, The Wagon Wheel in Fort Lawn, and many other small eateries  abound. You will get a real flavor of the people and their lives at these places.

Shops

Some towns have become popular enough to afford the glitzy gift shop or fancy art venue. Even in these towns you can sometimes find a shop owned by a local winery or hardware store with deep history. 

More novel experiences can be found in less popular small towns. There you may find the fixer of old clocks, locally craft makers, a record store, or stamp collectors nook.

Institutions

Libraries, Art Councils, History Museums and Civic buildings are often fun and always informative to visit. The Native American Studies Center in Lancaster SC features Indian artifacts, pottery, and craft. Extensive study and research areas for the different tribes of the Piedmont Region are housed in the back of the Center. The York County Library holds many documents and photographs from the Civil War. Some small towns are also county seats. You can see small town dramas play out in court rooms deep in history.

Some Final Thoughts 

There are great small towns all over this country, not just in the South. The important thing is taking the time to enjoy them.  Maybe even developing your own “field guide” to them.

You will undoubtedly come across towns that puzzle you. They will have growing industry around them and modern outskirts, but the core downtown remains much as it was, with empty storefronts. You will ask yourself why?

Part of the answer is that many longtime residents and civic leaders don’t want it changed. They remember how it was and want to restore it to then. Thus, buildings and storefronts languish in a never-never world. They are not viable for large retail or services. 

How do you fix them? Art and antiques are one way, but not the only one. The unique is what attracts visitors and vibrancy to a town. It may be as simple as a record or used book store. More ambitious might be a store helping people do things. For example, a small electronics store focusing on the computer hobbyist, a local fashion designer, an art store with a studio area for demonstrations and locally made art paint. Disheveled also works. There is a bit of explorer in us all. The collector stamp store or antique shop that looks unorganized is a magnet for these adventures.

Small towns remain a wonderful retreat from busy everyday urban lives. A place to slow down, soak in the locals, and enjoy life. Try taking that two lane road to one of them, you will find rewards in many ways and always new discoveries.

David Young

Studio Four Magazine

www.studiofour.com

Quotes about Small Towns:

“My plan is to have a theatre in some small town and I’ll be the manager. I’ll be the crazy movie guy.”  - Quentin Taratino

“Living in a small town, one of the keys to survival was your imagination.” - Nick Note

“Fame is only good for one thing: they will cash your check in a small town.”  - Truman Capote

“There are things about growing up in a small town that your can’t necessarily quantify.”  - Brandon South

FINDING ONE'S SELF

"You have to go into the mess of the world to accomplish things, but always retreat to a peaceful place and strive to write a perfect sentence or paint the perfect painting" - Gustav Faulbert, writer and philosopher, author of "Madam Bovary"

Studio Four Magazine
www.studiofour.com

GRAFFITI'S FINAL ACT

“Speak softly, but carry a big can of paint.”   Banksy

Who is the greatest Graffiti artist, BANKSY, LADY PINK, or DONDI? Maybe it is the building owner who comes along afterwards to cover the graffiti. They not only restores visual peace to the wall, but also create accidental art in the process. The technique used is called “Paint-outs.” It is Graffiti’s Final Act.

Graffiti is controversial. It grabs your attention and often evokes strong reaction. You love it or hate it. Is it art, a call for social change, protest, vandalism, marking of gang territory, or just a sign of urban decay? Often it is all of these, one painted over the other by unknown hands. 

Much has been written about graffiti. Styles of graffiti include Tags (the name of the artist), Throwups (quickly done in two or three colors), Piece (large complex work), Angels (work of deceased well known street artists), King/Queen (especially well respected artists), Married Couple (two adjoining apparatus units in one graffiti), Heaven Spot (dare devil pieces in hard to reach places), and Back to Back (painted all across a wall).

After all this is done, along comes the building owner, armed with an array of tools. Special paint called “Rescene Tag” is often used. It comes in a range of opaque colors. After the ongoing battle with graffiti is done and several coasts and colors applied, the result are Paint-Outs. Solid blocks of color covering the graffiti, forming different patterns, and taking on some of the color from the graffiti.

Paint-Outs become their own art work. Created by chance and accident by the building owner. Becoming the last act in the graffiti play. Bringing back a calm harmony to the City. A quieting of words.

David Young

See the entire series of "Paint - Out" art by visiting:

Studio Four Magazine

www.studiofour.com

Credits: Styles of Graffiti compiled from "10 Graffiti Terms to Remember" by Matt Randal and "Styles of Graffiti" by Graffito Canberra

TAKING A SLICE OF THE "BIG APPLE"

Newark Penn Station

Part of the fun of travel is trying something new. Staying in the heart of a big city is exciting. The action and attractions are right outside your door. Prices though are getting high. A stay in a downtown New York City hotel often costs $300 or more. Not to mention the $75 cab ride each way and the $20 glasses of wine. 

There are other ways to take a “slice of the Big Apple.” On a recent trip to New York, I flew into EWR Newark Liberty International Airport and stayed at the Hilton at Newark Penn Station. Newark is a short 21-minute commuter train ride to Midtown. There you can catch subways to almost any attraction in NYC, such as MOMA, The NY Public Library, 911 Memorial, and The Metropolitan Museum.

Flights to EWR are low cost because it caters to cruise lines, offering volume discounts. The Hilton I stayed at was $118 a night. It is attached by a causeway to Newark Penn Station (the sister station to Penn Station NYC). Trains run every 9 minutes. Better yet, Hilton will pick you up at the airport for no charge with their shuttle.

There are other surprising pluses to staying on the outskirts to big cities. I found Newark to be a very interesting place. It has a strong Portuguese population. There are numerous wonderful ethnic restaurants near the hotel. I ate one night at Don Pepe, just 300 feet from the hotel. It opened in 1981 and is a Newark institution. I was greeted by the owner Don Pepe and his head waiter when I entered. A wonderful menu and tastes followed. 

From an art perspective, Newark has great architecture, a vast array of characters, and urban scenes. A photographer’s feast. The Newark Museum, while not in the league of MOMA in NYC, is a worthwhile stop.

Staying on the outskirts of a big city has many advantages, but has some tradeoffs as well. Transportation systems can be challenging. For instance, there are two in Newark (PATH and NJ Transit). Each require separate tickets. Most of this can be sorted out at the information booth in the station. Ticket purchase is easy. Less easy is the walking inside the stations both in Newark and NYC (many stairs, escalators, elevators). 

On balance though, using this method to take slices from the big city is a solid and low cost choice. A choice with experiences that can surprise and delight. 

David Young

www.studiofour.com

PARKED ART

Tonopah, AZ

I worked in a warehouse summers to help pay for college. It was a sprawling place filled with pallets and crates full of everything you can imagine. Giant trucks with long trailers pulled in and out all day bringing and taking loads. There I met and became friends with Isaiah, a young black man. He worked full time, showing the muscles and toughness of that work. This was his life. 

After work, we would share a beer at a bar nearby, where truckers parked their big rigs and mixed with workers from the warehouse district. Isaiah liked the place and the tales he heard from the truckers about their travels. 

We were from different worlds. Isaiah from the hard scrabble central district where he had a small apartment. Myself from a comfortable middle class family and college life. Still we struck a chord. Maybe it was the hard-sweat work we shared in the warehouse that left you spent at the end of the day. He told me one time he respected how I worked, “not like most part timers.”

I knew not what future I would take after college. Isaiah, though, was sure what he would do someday. He wanted to get a big rig and travel the ribbons of pavement to see all the country. Every detail had been worked-out in his mind. How much it would cost to buy a used 18-wheeler. How he would make the it look artful and grand. How he would bring back road tales of his own someday. I listened to his dreams, played to a back drop of bar sounds and the rough chatter of truck drivers. His dreams seemed far away to me, but I never told him that.

The second summer I worked there, Isaiah was not to be found. No one seemed to know what happened to him. All summer I wondered if he had found his dream or what fate might have befallen him.

Later in life as business took me across country, I would occasionally see a big rig parked that showed a special road art. I always pulled over and waited for a while. Watching to see if Isaiah might climb down from the cab, so I could hear his tales.

David Young

Route 601, Carolinas

Grand Avenue, AZ

Phoenix, AZ

Airport Way, Seattle

Studio Four Magazine
www.studiofour.com

JUMP JIVE AND WAIL

"Jump Jive & Wail"

(Acrylic on Canson Board 9 x 12)

Inspired by great song by Louis Prima

Studio Four Magazine
www.studiofour.com

DEEP IN THE FOREST GREEN

"Deep in the Forest Green"

(Acrylic on Canson Board 9 x 12)

Studio Four Magazine
www.studiofour.com

ART MUSEUM JOYS

"The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls" - Pablo Picasso

Major city art museums are great destinations. There is far more than just the art to enjoy. The mix of architecture, quietness, surrounding districts, people and the museum's hidden places can take us away from the problems of the world. Maybe it is the timeless nature of art. How it has recorded and reflected the history of mankind. Or maybe it is the well-ordered nature of the museum that takes your mind to another place.

Even before you enter the museum, the grounds and architecture offer their own art to be enjoyed and savored. Small and large features beg for attention. Even unique curios can be found near the entrances. Museums often reside in interesting city districts that have great finds, coffee shops, and waysides. They are wonderful wandering.

People watching is fascinating. You observe interesting reactions and reflection in their poses and positions. You will see people just looking at the art, doing sketches, sharing private moments, or just contemplating life.

Be sure and Take a camera. Ask where you can take photos and where not. Views out the windows of the museum or across the broad expanses of the building are great, not to mention the people shots.

It's always good to Visit the museums website before you go to note key exhibits on display and special programs that may be happening. Follow that, by asking for a map of the museum at the front desk when you enter.

The art library is usually buried in one of the less traveled spaces. Here a world of art in books awaits, along with an always helpful librarian who is glad for you stopping by.

I often find that the smaller exhibits, around the corner or in the side rooms from the featured art, the most interesting. Some are local artists or a special interest of the museum staff or board. 

Most museums have a headliner dining spot. However, some have a hidden one. Here you might find art staff to visit with or other seasoned museum goers.

Wonderful social experiences can be gained by becoming a museum member.  Opening events offer the best of mixing and scrumptious snacks. Education opportunities also abound.

Museums will leave you with a sense of peace, the ageless beauty of art, and a feeling that there is more in the world to enjoy. And given the times we live in, who could not say these are good things.

David Young

Studio Four Magazine
www.studiofour.com

A good book on the basics of Art Museum visits is “How to Visit a Museum: Tips for a rewarding visit” by Johan Idea

OLD FRIENDS

OLD FRIENDS

A bevy of forgotten books

Like old friends found,

In some backroom of life.

All out of order,

Some on shelves

Others just in boxes.

Filled with mystery, art,

Philosophy and the poetry of life.

Waiting a touch or turning of a cover again.

All Like old  friends found...

DTY '17

Studio Four Magazine

www.studiofour.com

IMPROVISED SELF SUFFICIENCY

In Bill Gates and Warren Buffett’s recent interview on The Charlie Rose PBS show, talk turned to the challenges of the future. High on the list was their concern that an increasing number of people were going to be left behind by today’s global and specialized business market. People who cannot be retrained or re-employed in a traditional way. Buffett felt that how society deals with and supports these people remains a giant question mark?

There may be solutions at hand. You can never discount human ability to deal with adversity and find a way to survive. It might be called "Improvised Self Sufficiency." Much of that survival takes place in what has been called the Underground Economy. Here you will find a patch work of social services and non profits that form a foundation for people. But, that's not the entire story. People share housing, food, transportation and even payment of bills. This market has its own repair team, often individuals working for cash. They keep cars running, fix leaking roofs and sell you the used tire.

More and more displaced workers in the middle class are finding themselves slipping into this world. So it is good to study this market and find ways of making it work better for people. 

A combination of governmental, non profit and private enterprises could meet this emerging challenge. Governmental programs need to be vetted, retooling them to work more efficiently for both society and the people served. Fostering Non-profit organizations dedicated to helping people stay self sufficient might fill many gaps. They play an important role, because as hard as some people try to be self supporting, unexpected events (i.e. Medical bills, accidents) require emergency financial help. 

Those providing services in the underground market on a cash basis could be helped to form small businesses. The availability of credit on a fair basis (non predatory)needs to be developed. For those who do have a chance to re-enter the work force, greater help with job preparation and finding jobs is needed. Non profits could look for opportunities to expand into business segments. More than 200 of these L3C’s and B Corporations have been formed since 2000. A good example of this is Green City Growers in Cleveland. Affordable housing needs to be woven into the urban landscape. Ways to finance this housing also needs to be expanded. Basic services such as grocery stores need to be lured to low income areas with incentives.

The irony is that this left out market may offer new opportunities for our economy and business. On the one hand, you have a market that is overrun by the likes of dozens of smart phones and other high end products. On the other hand, a market of needs waiting to be met.

David Young

Studio Four Magazine
www.studiofour.com