Ann Hobgood and I were colleagues at Sandhills Farm Life School several years ago. Now, with both of us in retirement, we have reconnected, partly thanks to my music and her art. I "surprised" Judy for our 46th wedding anniversary by arranging a tour of Ann's studio in Hillsborough.
Ann is a folk artist, and one of amazing skill and imagination. Welcome to her cottage, where she meets up with folks by appointment. I'll include some links with contact info later.
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| The cottage/studio tells you a lot about Ann, even before you meet her. |
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| She showed us this "self-portrait", created many years ago. I can see why we are such kindred spirits, by our mutual love for UNC-Chapel Hill, a passion for trains, and a healthy respect for snakes. |
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| This photo and the next show her finished creations that are available for purchase. These are in the front of her studio. |
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| Each piece has a descriptive paragraph that gives it a special meaning. |
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| The back portion of the studio houses the vast supply of raw materials for her craft. |
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| It is highly organized, mostly with recyclables, and I believe there is enough there to keep her active for many years to come. I certainly hope so! |
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| There are always some works in progress, some by commission and some just from a stroke of inspiration. Ann shared that many of her creations are inspired by songs or titles. I knew that from comments she has made on my musical Facebook posts. She knows more about my songs than the average person. Below is the special piece I selected. Ann named it "Peace Train." I'll certainly go along with that. Every detail is lovingly chosen. You can spend quite a while studying the components that comprise the whole. |
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| Even the hubs of the wheels contain peace signs. |
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| Note the Wrigley Spearmint car. Should I call this the Chattanooga "Chew-Chew"? To top it off, here is the work-in-progress that Judy inquired about. It's called "You are My Sunshine." The significance for us is that Judy used to sing that song to me when we were dating and also after we were married. I, in turn, would sing "I Only Have Eyes for You." Judy asked Ann if anyone had claimed this or commissioned it, and we were thrilled that it was still available for us. Plus, that will mean another trip to Hillsborough, which is always a good thing! I'll be sure to post the finished product when we bring it home. |
Here are some links where you can explore Ann's amazing work.
https://www.hillsboroughartscouncil.org/ann-brownlee-hobgood
https://www.recycledfolks.com/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100065250571662
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