The Event:
Paint Memphis 2017 is a free event open to the public with live music, food trucks, vendors and an all-day art show! Our paint festival is designed to highlight overlooked communities in our city and to encourage communal growth within Memphis. For the past two years, the festival has taken place at a floodwall at Chelsea and Evergreen in North Memphis with over 200 artists from across the world participating. This year the festival will take place on Saturday, September 30th under the bridge on Willett Street between Central Avenue and Lamar Avenue, as well as at Altown, the skate park located at Roland and Lamar, on the edge of Cooper-Young.
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I'm thankful to one of the crews for having repaired a broken leg on one of the Merferds, that had happened from the wind. People would rather see interesting things such as Merferds waving and art than butt ugly billboards… But at least hopefully, this opens some dialogue with Modot  At "PAINT LOUIS" 2016, Merferd was presented holding two paint cans. The blue can of 'Love' warned 'Combustible' and the yellow can of 'Joy' cautioned 'Flammable' .
Much better... 
 Merferd knows how to make the best out of a mess. He is a PROPHETIC comic character with big hands, feet, mustache, and a big heart. Besides saving his Treetoon friends who sit on land repoed by the bank of SCAMALOFYA, Merferd is also into saving the printed page. This is a quandry for him, for you see Red Elm, his main Treetoons sidekick HATES 'HARD COPY'...can you wonder WHY?! SAP FLOWS ON in the Tree Toon stand. Where Merferd is prophetic, Red Elm is a seer. Saving the earth, people and the press is a large task, but not if one is as moved as a Merferd and as tenured as a tree. Merferd Over the Years This Merferd was created on a trip out to Montana several years ago. He began to take on earth colors at this point. He welcomes togetherness. Other than having to move a little bit to help one of the tree toons with a snag that needs to be trimmed here or there, Merferd moves slow. Life is worth slow. Can one feel the earth spinning round and round? Answer. No. So too, a Merferd accomplishes much, you just don't see it....
Notice this Merferd (left) was drawn on an envelope. I did not notice the envelope until some time later and the words, The Value of Community. That says it much for Merferd. He is into conversation, community and comic friends. You can see how the roughed out drawing was given color and life in the classic 'Show Me' Merferd portrait next to it (right).
 Riddle and rhyme that went with the southern most Where on Earth is Merf in DeSoto, Missouri. DeSoto was once named Fountain City many years ago. Merf was hanging around in front of Redfields fleamarket on Main Street.
Day 13 ( this is a rare one away from St Louis) Will require a scenic drive into the country while the leaves are still sort of at peak. Jesus said he who believes in me Flows fountains of living water. Why would the city have changed its name To someone known for slaughter? Water is life and gold brings strife So which would we rather have? I ner' understood why a name so good Was changed to one so bad. He came with 10 ships and 700 men. To chart a course to China. Though that's what he said, Power goes to the head, The riches and fame will kill ya. Of course the Indians attacked. They wanted their gold and game, And the fury faced devils With the fiery sticks And lust for their women Gone back. With the purest water in the world, A blue ribbon in the 1904 worlds fair. Why change their name To that conquistador Who ner' even made it there ? When tracks were laid Whites, they stayed, On one side, colored's the bottom. One day one braved to build anyway. They burn down his house, Not forgotten. When we had moved down From the burbs of Chi town, The fountains had long been shuttered. Jesus said not what goes into a man, But what flows out to others. There's still old world charm, We had a Tin roof. Merf won't be harmed, We dwelt in the land To cultivate friends. Tried to be faithful, And heated with wood. Now Merf is in town, When a long time ago, When our girls were small, Three bucks for the show, Across from his perch There's a painted parked train, And I once bought Theresa A tin weathervane. |
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