Ducktail
posted: July 9, 2012
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When I work I have 3 mindsets: assignment, commission and personal. When I have a chance to do personal work I get everything set-up... I sit down, I daydream and reflect for a few minutes about my life and if I am feeling any stress I might make a piece that is an instant sell or if I am relaxed I might make a piece that expresses something more than the commodity. Either way, my goal is to let a work flow and not think too much.
Today I started to do a piece and then I remembered that my dad's birthday is this week. I was all set out to make a male head and then I quickly saw a duck in the hair and I was instantly projected back in time when my dad and mom took their 4 boys out on a hunting trip to a lake. I was 8 years old and we were all sitting in a duck blind and my dad had these very cool fake rubber duck decoys tied to a rope and he would throw them out onto the lake waiting for curious and unsuspecting ducks to fly down to check out the action and you can guess the rest. I didn't have a gun and I was totally bored but I stayed there and watched but I definitely did not want to join them the next day and would much rather ride my Stingray around camp than sit in a duck blind without a gun. My dad was 45 years old when I was born and he would have been 99 this week.
I made this piece while thinking about him.
By the way, since I was so much younger than my older brothers and they all flew the coop pretty early our future vacations were spent in Baja California riding motorcycles and maybe a bit of fishing but no guns, whew!.
Today I started to do a piece and then I remembered that my dad's birthday is this week. I was all set out to make a male head and then I quickly saw a duck in the hair and I was instantly projected back in time when my dad and mom took their 4 boys out on a hunting trip to a lake. I was 8 years old and we were all sitting in a duck blind and my dad had these very cool fake rubber duck decoys tied to a rope and he would throw them out onto the lake waiting for curious and unsuspecting ducks to fly down to check out the action and you can guess the rest. I didn't have a gun and I was totally bored but I stayed there and watched but I definitely did not want to join them the next day and would much rather ride my Stingray around camp than sit in a duck blind without a gun. My dad was 45 years old when I was born and he would have been 99 this week.
I made this piece while thinking about him.
By the way, since I was so much younger than my older brothers and they all flew the coop pretty early our future vacations were spent in Baja California riding motorcycles and maybe a bit of fishing but no guns, whew!.
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Brian Stauffer July 10, 2012
Touching post, Richard.
julie diane July 10, 2012
~~thank you Richard. I love the inspired piece, and such a wonderful view into your life. You're the best...
Victor Juhasz July 10, 2012
Nice piece Richard. What's the fish you dad is holding?
Richard Downs July 10, 2012
Thank you Brian and Julie Diane. Victor, I think that it is a rainbow trout. I don't remember this place or the picture at all. Our dad was a bit of a gear head and took Ektachrome of everything. It was annoying as a kid with his light meter and standing around but today, it is really fun to see all of this on slides.
Charlie D. July 12, 2012
The place is Hot Creek in the Eastern Sierra by Mammoth it was exclusivey a fly fishing stream with some private property and cabins. I remember well that day, the biggest trout we'd ever seen! The hot springs themselves were totally unimproved and you could hike down to them, they've since been improved with changing rooms and toilets but recently shut down due to the potential for scalding water. Times change but the springs didn't. circa late 50's.
