PLANET EARTH NEEDS A GOOD FAIRY
By Tim Lord
Edited by Robin Bishop Photo Reproductions by Dean Davis Photography
From The Artist - In His Own Words
I grew up in a military family . My father was an officer in the Air Force , meaning we moved around a lot . At six years old , my parents and I , along with my two sisters and brother , boarded the passenger ship SS President Wilson bound for Japan . The sendoff was riveting . A massive , frenzied crowd jammed elbow-to-elbow on a pier in Los Angeles waving up at us as we rained streamers down onto them — a scene that remains etched in my memory .
My father was being stationed in Japan and the eighteen-day voyage at sea was moving us to our new home . The trip was packed with fond memories . During the cruise our family participated in the costume ball but had no costumes . My clever parents , with the help of crew members , were supplied rolls of two-inch wide black crepe paper . We wrapped our white outfits in rings to mimic old school chain gang prisoners and constructed a lengthy paper chain and clung to it as we pranced around the ballroom with my little sister bringing up the rear , clutching a big round crepe paper ball attached to the end of the chain . We went as “ My Six Convicts ,” the title of a book published back in the day . We won the grand prize and were awarded a 10 inch bronze replica of the ship which my dad still has displayed in his house . Mom walked away with a first-place trophy for winning the shuffleboard tournament . My twin brother and sister stole the evening acing the talent show for reciting a poem about twins written by my dad , beating me out of my performance singing “ Where Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone ?” Luckily that ended my singing career . I didn ’ t know much about Japan but did know I was on an adventure of a lifetime and was all in !
My dad loved art and hung original oil paintings throughout our houses for as long as I can remember . While stationed in Tokyo , Japan for four years , my dad ’ s extensive art collection emerged . It started with the family gathering around the dining room table working jigsaw puzzles . It was fun to piece the abstract shapes together to create beautiful images , and if dad liked it enough , he would slip the completed puzzle on to cardboard , secure it in plastic wrap , and haul it to an
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