Explore #342, 8/26/09.
Much better
Large On Black.
This image is dedicated to
Pearl Fryar, Topiary Artist Extraordinaire, the one who drew me in to a re-acquaintance with the beautiful Quail Botanic Gardens, last Sunday, where I made this image. Never having heard of him, I was so Intrigued by the TV ads for the movie,
A Man Named Pearl, that I set my DVR to record it and have loved and respected Pearl ever since the first time I watched it. Since my words cannot begin to adequately describe his awesome garden, won't you please go to the web site and click on the link WATCH THE TRAILER? No doubt, you'll be as inspired as I was.
Pearl is not only a genius at his craft, but he is also a man of good character, with a great sense of humor, as I could tell from watching the movie, and which was confirmed when I heard his talk at Quail Gardens. He lives the example of the value of hard work, which doesn't seem like work at all, when one has a passion for what they are doing. He is the sole caretaker of his 3-acre garden, where he, incredibly, uses no water, no fertilizer, and no chemicals, to grow species that the experts say can't be grown in his area of South Carolina. When asked if his wife helps him, he joked that, "No, she is my critic," but that his work gave him an excuse to get out of "honey do's".
During his talk, Pearl stressed the importance of education, and told us that he has set up scholarships for "C" students, because everyone should have an education. But I think the thing that stayed with me the most, was that he said that he does his art for himself, not to impress other people - something that I think we all need to remember for ourselves.
