Hometown Brandon - Winter 2015

A Picture and a T housand Words
Bailey Poole
I’m sure many of you would be
surprised that I am actually an English
major. I literally spend 99% of my time
inside Shakespearean plays, and when
I’m not reading, I’m usually writing–
or I guess now, drawing.
When I was first asked to write about
my art, and what I draw inspiration from,
I honestly have to say that my English
background inspires me. Now, I’m sure
that sounds absurd, so let me explain.
A couple of summers ago, I started to
draw pictures out of words–only words.
I came to realize I spend so much of my
time reading and finding the beauty in
the written word, that I wanted to take
various prose and combine them with
art in a unique and
interesting way.
So, one of my first
pieces was Shakespeare’s
image centered
in the outline of
England, all drawn with
the first act of Macbeth.
Sticking with the classics,
I then moved on to Margaret Mitchell’s
Gone With the Wind. I drew Scarlett
O’Hara out of the paragraphs in the
book that describe her, and one of the
Tara landscapes. I think drawing
pictures in this medium adds a deeper
element in some way to the text that is
being read, and I really enjoy how
different each piece looks.
Drawing with words was really my
springboard. It gave me the confidence
to try new mediums–especially water
coloring. Just as I found beauty in
Shakespeare’s plays, and other novels,
I started to look at what surrounded
me for inspiration. The place that has
surrounded me since day one is Brandon,
Mississippi. Being raised in Brandon has
given me unique experiences of growing
up in a small town, and I have memories
etched on every square foot of the city.
There’s nowhere in Brandon that I go
that doesn’t draw back something from
my childhood.
One of the first things I drew was the
statue in the downtown square. It’s been
there since 1907–over one hundred
years. It’s simple, with the three flags
behind it, and the courthouse beside it.
That area of the square is one of the few
places in Brandon that has remained
exactly the same, and I wanted to capture
that. I think it’s a painting
that resonates with everyone
because the town
square symbolizes the
place they grew up, and
the place they call home.
Another place I
have fond memories of
are all the Friday nights
I spent at Louis Gene
Hometown Brandon • 31