As a neighborhood artist Rick Timmons worked in front of Matt’s No Place on La Vista, it was a scene reminiscent of an old western movie.
The sun beat down, and country music played in the background from his boom box, while his dog laid close-by in the shade.
Timmons worked diligently wearing jeans, boots and a cowboy hat. But he wasn’t spending his time rustling steers or shooting bad guys.
He was painting a mural featuring five of the toughest, roughest, straight-shootingest cowpokes our neighborhood has ever seen.
Timmons was commissioned by Matt Martinez to decorate the wall in front of his Matt’s No Place with a western mural of five Texas rangers – with familiar faces. Two of the cowboys are Martinez and neighborhood entrepreneur B.B. Barr.
In the middle is a cowboy with a reddish beard and guitar who looks like Red Reynolds.
“He’s a fella who picks guitar here at Matt’s in the evenings,” Timmons says.
Many of us probably won’t recognize the man between Reynolds and Barr.
“Oh, that’s just this English professor out at (the University of) North Texas who’s been buggin’ me to put him in a mural for years,” Timmons says.
And the final character who bears a striking resemblance to Timmons himself?
“Oh, that’s my evil twin brother,” he says with a grin.
Timmons was employed by the Dallas Fire Department for 13 years before he decided to become a full-time artist.
“It was just time for a career move,” he says, “Since I was a kid, I’ve always wanted to be an artist, and I just decided to try it.”
Apparently, the decision paid off because Timmons has “been doing gallery gigs for about seven years now.”
He is donating part of his fee for the Matt’s No Place mural to a drug awareness/gang prevention program at J.L. Long Middle School. Each of the neighborhood businessmen featured in the mural plan to match his donation.
News & Notes
LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD POETS: The International Library of Famous Poets is holding a national poetry competition. The grand prize winner will receive $1,000. Entries must be postmarked by Aug. 15 and must be 20 lines or less. Send submissions to: National Poetry Competition, 421 N. Rodeo, Suite 455, Beverly Hills, Calif. 90210.
CHECK THIS OUT: Neighborhood resident and artist Wiley Ware is participating in a show of painted wood sculptures, paintings and assemblages with fellow artist John Abrams at John Abrams’ studio/gallery. The show runs through Aug. 21 at 825 Exposition in Fair Park. Ware has worked professionally in the area since 1976. Gallery hours are Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sundays from noon-5 p.m. and weekdays by appointment. For information call 824-2771.
Calendar
Aug. 9 – A free reading of “One of Them Male Things,” 7 p.m. at Pegasus Theatre, 3916 Main. For information: 821-6005.
Aug. 14 – Richardson Community Band Request Night at 7 p.m. at the lawn of the Richardson Civic Center, 411 W. Arapaho. Admission is free. For information: 348-6381.
Through Aug. 27 – “Eight By Ten, An Evening of 8 Ten-Minute Comedies” at Pegasus Theatre, 3916 Main Street. For reservations: 821-6005.
Through Aug. 28 – “Shirley Valentine” presented by New Horizons Theatre Company at the Bath House Cultural Center, 521 E. Lawther, Show times are 8 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Tickets are $10 and $12 on Saturdays. For reservations: 504-6385.
