Friday, March 27, 2009

yard art or I want to be like the Fridays when I grow up



If you have ever heard me talk about my friend Harlow Friday or if I have introduced you to him, I'm sure you have heard me talk about the rhino.He is probably sick of hearing me introduce him as the man who made the enormous rhino off of the Guide Meridian. He made it as a birthday present for his fabulous wife,Anna, and I have seen glorious snapshots of her astride it's wide back. The Friday's entire yard is full of metal art. Anna hates yard work, so they tore out all the grass and gardens save a little patch for their dog. All around their hot pink house sprout exotic grass clumps and rocks and dozens of whimsical sculptures.Harlow trained as a sculptor but then got a desk job (insurance, if I remember correctly) to support his family. Now that he is retired he makes whatever he wants without following market trends or customer requests. As Joseph Campbell suggests, he "follows his bliss." with a welding torch.

Now in their 70s,The Fridays serve as an example of how I would like to age, with quirky grace and a sense of humor. They are comfortable in their own skin.They are fantastic supporters of the arts, not just as serious theater patrons, but actually supporting the artistic lifestyle. Whenever I apologize for something like "Oh I didn't know you were coming over, the house is a mess..."they gently remind me I am an adult and I can live how I choose. Then they ask me about art projects we have going on and I relax.

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