PleinAir Magazine – August 2019

http://www.outdoorpainter.com /August-September 2019 71

“Asa child,myinterestwasbuildingtreeforts
andrunningwiththeneighborhoodkids,”
saysMichaelQuinn.“Theartappreciation
bugdidn’thitmeuntilcollege,whenI took
thesubjectas a ‘fillercourse.’AlthoughI was
alwaysa back-rowkindofguy,I satinthefront
rowinthisclassandendingupacingit.I was
absolutelycaptivatedbythenewworldthathad
openedtome.I stillhavethebookweused;I
couldn’tsellit.Thisloveofartspilledovertoa
loveofhistoryandarchitecture.Andthatlove
ofarchitectureandhistoryledmetorestore
several 1860 carpenters’cottagesinLockerbie
Square,a historicdistrictinIndianapolis.
“Myskillis notwitha brush,butwitha ham-
mer.I lovetakingthesedilapidated,neglected,and
forgottenhomesandbringingthembackto life.
It onlytakesa fewclassicfeaturesformeto seethe
diamondin therough.Today,myhusband,Tony,
and I live ina 100-year-oldFederalhouse that

we’vebeenrestoringforthepastthreeyears.We

loveartandthejoyit bringsto ourhome.

“Myfirstartpurchasewasa painting

WilliamLawsonmadeof my 428 SpringStreet

homeinLockerbieduringthe 1996 hometour.I

wasunawarethatartistsweretobeoutandabout

thatday.Hewaspaintinginmygarden,andI

wasenthralled.I purchasedthepaintingfrom

himthatday.

“Ingeneral,I liketomakepurchasesfrom

theartiststhemselves.I wantthebackstoryand

motivationforeachpiece.I cantellyouallabout

theartistswhoseworkI havethehonortohang

inourhome.TonyandI lookforuniquepieces

thatspeaktous.Wearenotmuchintothe‘mod-

ernstuff.’Weliketraditional,nottrendy.

“I metWyattLeGrandat a paint-outat the

T.C.SteeleStateHistoricSiteabout 10 yearsago.

Hewasa youngstudentstillsearchingforhisrole

in life. I purchased a painting from him as a gift

formyfather,thepresidentof theFriendsof T.C.

Steele,whereI wasalsoa boardmember.Hewas

recuperatingfromheartsurgery,andI wantedto

bringhimhomea paintingsohecouldhavea

pieceof theevent.A yearlater,I commissioneda

paintingfromWyatt.I wanteda viewof Monu-

mentCirclefroma differentperspective—one

thatgavetheimpressionthatit washoldingthe

monumentsafe,almostprotectingit.Hehitmy

ideaspoton.

“Acoupleof yearsago,Wyattaskedmeto sit

forhimfora portraitserieshewasworkingon—

100 Hoosiersfromallwalksof life.Heconfidedto

methatthenightbeforeI methimat thepaint-out

allthoseyearsago,hewasnotsurehewasgoingto

pursuepaintingprofessionally.Sellinga painting

thatdaymotivatedhimto giveit a shot.Healso

toldmethatI hadgivenhimhisfirstcommission.

I feelso humbledandhonored to be a part of this

incredible artist’s history.”

MICHAELQUINNANDTONYFAY

AN APPRECIATION FOR HISTORY, ARCHITECTURE, AND ART

By William Lawson