Vicarious Travelers,
The second day was dominated by a visit to a field in Mullinville (not Munchkinville) Kansas. Words simply will not suffice. Everything about the sights and sounds before our eyes is impossible to accurately describe. We had the grand privilege of seeing the art of and meeting Mr. M. T. Liggett. Our first glimpse was from a highway running parallel to his "gallery". From over a quarter of a mile away we could see a remarkable fence of figures. Upon approach, our wonder turned to full-on mouth agape astonishment. After a brief head-turn to each other, we returned to a sight that really could only be described as awe and unavoidable shared smiles. Wow! For over 1/3 of a mile and sometimes with double rows, on fence posts and in the trees his work stretched beyond vision and imagination. This art was rivaled only by the artist himself. Un-friggin believable!
His work is whimsical and filled with political opine. Nothing and no one is spared. Cutting, scathingly frank and hysterical. Apparently he expresses his thoughts about everyone in town along with various national celebrities/politicians. One piece was inspired by a the school superintendent and his elicit affair with local woman (He the pig she the slut) that was up to that point a secret (sort of anyway). M.T. made a 12 foot sculpture to celebrate/expose/point out to everyone of this not so private reality. There were 3-D commentaries on everyone in town from lust to disdain.
All this and then we met the man..... even more unbelievable. Words: character, artist, curmudgeon, opinionated, astute, funny, cranky, genuine, unaffected, skilled, creative and just plain old entertaining. He was friendly and open to conversation about life, art and "those bastards in the government." Charming is also apt; we watched him woo into his creative web a three and half year old little girl into posing for him as he sketched her on a piece of scrap metal for use in a future sculpture - "I'll do her anti-thesis because she's too cute for art."
This tale could go on and on but I'll close with another quotable quote: "You know how you can tell a real artist? They don't ask you what you think of their art because they really don't give a shit what you think."
Love and rusty steel,
Rodney and Susan
Rodney and Susan
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