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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 23, 1981)
m,: ! v' Page 4 THE BATTALION WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1981 7 '>«. * ftiy ; * *<. Simply Great Mexican Food. THE WEDNEBPAY SPBCIAX. MONTEREY DINNER $4.i9/;tv> FIESTA DINNER & VF 00/B.EG. M>0«0S7/ $4.35 ENCHILADA DINNER /\q/ reg - 90« W/ $3.55 Local State artist focuses on animal kingdom —^ V MEXICAN '-'-^RESTAURANTS 1816 Texas Ave. • 823-8930 907 Highway 30 • 693-2484 KEN MEDEMA IN CONCERT SEPTEMBER 27 7 P.M. FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, BRYAN 28th 6c Texas By LISA SURMAN Battalion Reporter Jim Johnson of Bryan has fo cused his work on animals as a veterinarian, a federal researcher and now as a professional artist. Johnson, who received his doc torate in veterinary medicine from Texas A&M University in 1969, in May was named the Texas Artist of the Year for 1982-83. “I don’t actually become the state artist until April or May of next year, ” he said in a recent in terview at his home, “so I’m still getting a lot of attention when I’m really not the state artist yet.” Johnson, who has been painting professionally for three years, said the state artist committee selects two artists each session for the award. The committee, which meets once every two years, is composed of three state senators, three House members and three members of the governor’s staff. The artist spent three years in private veterinary practice. Johnson said he decided to quit his practice in 1972. “I was work ing by myself ... and did every thing,” he said. I was the recep tionist, the kennel-boy ... and at that time really tired of it. “I had had this interest, or at least I thought I did, in research. The opportunity came along to do it and I accepted it, ” he said. John son did toxicology research, which studies the effects of insecticides on animals, for the U.S. Depart ment of Agriculture until 1978. The decision to paint profes sionally “was totally my decision,” Johnson said. “My friends and re latives thought I was crazy. I didn’t want to continue working in research anymore. I didn’t like it. When you work for the bureaucra cy of government, you see a lot of the problems and do a lot of things that have no point ... It was that kind of work — a lot of busy work. ” The artist, originally from Mid land, said he is totally self-taught. “I did a lot of sketchings and draw ings when I was little, but never was interested in it enough to go to school for it,” he said. Johnson said he was painting a 11.850% 30-89 days rate adjusted daily $1,000 minimum BRAZOS Investors Account THESE OBLIGATIONS ARE NOT SAVINGS ACCOUNTS OR DEPOSITS AND ARE NOT INSURED BY THE FED ERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN INSURANCE CORPORATION. A nominal administrative fee is charged for early withdrawal. 14.379%* 6 months rate fixed for term $10,000 minimum 6-MONTH Money Market Certificate 18.270* Effective Annual Yield 16.550%* 30 months rate fixed for term No minimum deposit 2V2-YEAR Money Market Certificate Each account insured up to $100,000 by an agency of the federal government. Regulations impose a substantial interest penalty for early withdrawal. Here are three ways to earn maximum interest in fixed or vari able rate instruments to meet your short or long term goals. For more information on these accounts, call or visit any of our offices. There’s never been a better time to save. And there’s never been a better place. RATES EFFECTIVE AS OF September 22, 1981 Rates are subject to change daily (in the case of Investor Accounts), weekly (in the case of 6-month certifi cates) and bi-weekly (in the case of 2 1 / 2 -year certificates). Federal regula tions prohibit the compounding of interest on 6-month certificates. BRAZOS Savings Main Office: 2800 Texas Avenue / Bryan Branch Offices: Bryan • Brenham • Buffalo • Caldwell • Centerville College Station • Hearne • Huntsville • Madisonville • Normangee lot before he decided to become a professional. “You have to really work hard at developing it. It’s not something you just dive into and not have any experience with ... It’s a very competitive and cut throat business.” He said, “Being a veterinarian helps me with the animal’s ana tomy. Everything I paint I’m in volved with to some degree. That’s the only way I can really paint with confidence.” Seventy-five to 80 percent of his paintings are oils and the rest are water colors. Johnson said he is primarily commissioned by a client who specifies what he wants painted and the price he will pay. Johnson’s prices range form $75 to $10,000. “The price sets the limit as to the size and how complex it is,” Johnson said. “Otherwise, every thing else is left totally up to me. ” Johnson said he’s not the only artist in his family. His aunt, Mar go Clark, was a professional artist whose work is included in the pri vate art collections of Bob Hope, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis and Red Skelton, he said. Johnson said Clark influenced him greatly but never knew it be cause she died in 1966, six years before Johnson first tried to paint. Johnson said good artists are constantly improving. “I can do a painting and three months later ... wish I could do differently,” he said. Johnson, whose paintings have been sold all over the country, said he reserves October to De cember for getting new material and clients. “I may not be actually painting, but I’m still creating something in my mind,” he said. During the rest of the year, Johnson said he spends six to 10 hours a day, seven days a week, painting. The most expensive painting Johnson has done was a 30 by 40 inch painting of the daughter of Secretariat (the 1973 Triple Crown winner), he said. It sold for $10,000 and took seven weeks to paint. Johnson said he will be concen trating on shows and exhibits in the next year. As state artist, he will have a show in the Capitol Rotunda. V Staff photo by Greg C« Texas Artist of the Year, Jim Johnson, demonstrates his( at his Bryan studio. An exhibit showing some of Johnson’s work will be shown in the lobby area of the Former Stu dent’s Association from mid-April until mid-May, Jim Reynolds, Di rector of the Memorial Student Center said. He said the exhibit will be sponsored by the MSC Arts Committee and the Former Student’s Association. Johnson’s wife, Jocille, said she is always amazed with her hus band’s work. “I never know what he’s going to create,” she said. “He says there’s enough distortion in the world that we need c thing ... realistic.” When asked to sum up liis Johnson said, "It’s always® | taut to remember, therejiln going to be a lesser and ape: than you are. Just about tie 1: you think you’re pretty f® there’s somebody around thee ner who’s a lot better...so: I main thing is just to keep re* I bering what you do, haves I fidence.. .and continue to be best that you can — evervt- else will take care of itself. 1 Houston Ballet to presen) Norwegian fantasy play The Houston Ballet, sponsored by the MSC Opera and Perform ing Arts Society, will perform “Peer Gynt,” the story of a wan derer’s adventures, tonight at 8 p.m. in Rudder Auditorium. Based on the Norwegian fan tasy play by Henrik Isben, “Peer Gynt” is one of the largest touring shows ever produced by the Houston Ballet. The ballet is per formed in classic form, and follows the life of a wandering, selfish young man as he falls in love, bat tles monsters and gains and loses a fortune. The ballet took director Ben Stevenson seven years to create. “I’d wanted to do a ballet with a story and this had always tugged at me,” he said. “I’ve mostly done ballets about women, but this was different — about a man, but of course with very good roles for About 150 seats for theh are still available in the sec balcony, Debbie Murray, Box Office employee, said Tc day. The tickets are dents and $7 for non-students Damon Crenshaw, MSC OH chairman, said season ticket!* ses are also still available ses give students a 20 percentc count on all MSC tions. Now Better Than Ever. 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