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now. Well, it may be there but underneath some paint," said Sky. Sky, while becoming a professional artist in 1970, followed his mentors and taught art?but only for one week. "Well, it was in Jackson, Mississippi, in a black urban school, and ir was nart of a deal where I was having an art show at the Jackson Museum. Well, it was just a one shot deal, you know," said Sky. Since childhood, painting and artwork have consumed Blue Sky's life, with his passion for art only growing stronger through the years. His positive mental attitude which developed through these years is reflected in his artwork. "If I'm not happy, if I'm going through a depression or something, I can't paint," Sky said. Blue Sky uses positive thinking to overcome frustrations in his painting and his life. "I believe everything has a reason for heinor rhp wav if is." hp said "Fvpnfs havp reasons, although we may not know the reason why. Believe me there is a reason. "There is someone who's running this show, you know, some spirit or intelligence or God, or whatever you want, and there's no reason to be despondent about anything. Whatever happens, it's according to his plan. When I start thinking like that then I don't feel frustrated." But Blue Sky has no reason to feel frustrated. His work, ranging in subject from landscapes to "tunnels," is quite popular and at the same time is representative of his personality. DRUNK DRIVING DOES DRUNK DRIV Alonzo Drake, killed 3/17/91 at 10:53pm o Next time your friend insists on driving d stop him. Because if he kills innocent people, how \ E! Sky expresses himself in his art and believes strongly in the grace and beauty of it. "1 believe in beauty. I think beauty has ji beneficial effects. It can make us healthier. J It can make us feel good. It's like medicine," said Sky. Drawing upon his own strength as medicine, Sky says it is a vital part of his personality and artwork. "I think I'm a strong person. I think you see my strength in my work, like this mural [Tunnel Vision] is quite powerful," Sky said. "Also it takes a lot of physical stamina to paint something like this. I don't like to think I'm a wimp." Sky does like to think, however, that two of his virtues are patience and self-sacrifice. J "It takes patience to see something like this through. It'll take five or six weeks to | retoucn "lunnel Vision," and I'm not getting paid for this." "There's good in sacrifice. If you do something to better the world without expecting anything, somebody up in heaven makes a little check by your name and blesses you with grace and happiness," Sky said. There's a quietness in Blue Sky's work, a quietness from deep within his personality. A quietness that reflects happiness. "I'm usually happy when I paint," Sky said. "Painting is a happy thing for me. I'm so happy and joyous I want to share it with ng| everyone. That's one of the reasons I paint. I feel joy, and I see so much beauty all around. I just want to capture it and share it." M SOM ! I YOD] / ONE y, : :^ | IN T JUST KILL ERS. n Robbins Rd., Harvest, AL. runk, do whatever it takes to vill you live with yourself? i.Niy.uiDHi Class ..... , , ? ,, Call 777-1184 US. Department of Transportation to find out m< I X L : <i: % \ * &- M * *% * Tyson Pettigrewj E THINGS ARE __ UMT TU am ULUSJUD R MIND ISN'T OF THEM. es, MDA has shown how valuable people n v?/> 4- TAT? U-li 1? 1 - ' ^j.juuj.co cue ou suuitju.y. vvtj utsneve LaienL, i desire are more important than strength )n's muscles. The one barrier these people come is a closed mind. Keep yours open. MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY ASSOCIATION r r~ i ? ifieds Work ?Erj?rdor ^TSatcock jBy Sky uses a hydraulic lift to iM'l'lCl VlMUTl 1 UTlTlcl j Vision" is heated on the side 0/ The AgFirst I Building on Marion and Jf| JRI Taylor Streets. i. Hp 'Special to G&.B A call for Fiction If you write fiction, and T7r\n? Tiroof T r/~\t i r y wain yvjui 31VJI1C5 published in a quality publication, send your manuscripts to: Garnet & Black Student Media USC Russell House 1400 Greene St.. . L,oiumt)ia, sc 29208 Piction must De no longer than 2000 words, typed, double-spaced. Please include name, year and phone number. Disc submissions are preferred. 1 Garnet & Black, January 31, 1997 15