The Working Man

This morning I borrowed my aunt's copy of this old photo and scanned it. It's of my maternal grandfather, James E. Mitchell, Sr. The photo was taken sometime in the 1930s, but we don't know much more about it. Behind my grandfather is my great-uncle Bud. They're walking to work in downtown Nashville, TN. I can't help trying to imagine the scene as it was in life, and what was on the minds of those taking the picture, and in it.

Physically, my grandfather was an impressive man. There was just something about him. That's hard to miss even in this old pic. Spiritually, he had his strengths and weaknesses. He was a passionate man. Perhaps, I inherited that from him. However, he was prone to anger, and, at times, it got the better of him. He was a Christian; at one time an elder in the church of Christ. He was an intelligent man with a deep knowledge of the Bible; a working-class man, the son of a share-cropper who worked on freight docks, eventually becoming a Teamster's Union representative. He fathered ten children, nine of whom lived to adulthood (my mother being the youngest). I never knew him. He died shortly after I was born in 1975. I've always been fascinated by stories about him. His blood flows in my veins, and his faith, along with that of his dear wife, my beloved "Granny," has passed to me.

Speaking artistically, the photograph has a great composition. It's a bit dark, but there is enough contrast with the lighter areas to make it very interesting. I've decided to use it as a drawing exercise to sharpen my abilities, and might make it the inspiration for more artwork in the future.

I'll end this post by encouraging you to take pictures and save them. Your children and grandchildren and so on will appreciate it. Pictures like this one help us to visualize the past and have a better vision of our roots.