Saturday, October 5
We head east this morning to a few places that aren't open on Sunday. More cotton fields and rural areas. More Trump signs. We learn that farmers spray something on the cotton plants before harvesting to make the leaves fall off, so there is less debris in the bales.
We've read about a place called Pasaquan in Buena Vista. Eddie Martin, who called himself Saint EOM. transformed the property he inherited from his Mother into an amazing, colorful environment which combines pre-Columbian Mexican, African and Native American designs. Pasaquan means "to bring the past and future together" and Martin believed his art represented the future where all cultures and ethnic groups could come together in harmony. He had friends who helped with some of his creations but insisted on doing all of the metal work himself. Supposedly he dreamt about creations and the next day set out to do what he dreamt about.
It opens at 10:00 and we are a tad early, so have some breakfast while waiting. A young woman arrives and unlocks the gate and we follow her onto the property. Wow! There are six structures, including his original family home, mandala murals and hundreds of feet of handcrafted cement walls and metal work. A short film introduces it all, and then we are free to wander.
The insides of the structures have some handmade furniture, but are mainly just places to display more artwork.
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| This was his workshop. |
Eddie's main "job" was as a fortune teller and apparently he made some money from this. One of the women tells us that he also sold bags - which conveniently may have been filled with pot.... It seems he was as colorful a character as his creations.
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He did some beadwork as well.
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There are two women here from the University of Columbus, both artists were told. Everything here is on a schedule to be repainted every five years and that is what they are doing, painstakingly priming and repainting. There is SO much, that I can see where it would take the five years to do everything! Martin died in 1986 and the Kohler Foundation purchased and restored the property and then handed it over to the nearby University for management and upkeep.
Next, we travel into Columbus to a Museum Collective. It is actually several collections which are housed in a large building that is also an antique store. The building is jam packed and run by a couple who we think are some relatives of the man who collected all this stuff!
A few cars and Chief Pontiac statue and painting which were originally salesroom items for those selling Pontiac cars, before it was bought up by GM.
Then there are lunchboxes. I didn't personally use lunchboxes, as our elementary school had a cafeteria. But apparently LOTS of people did, and the boxes kind of chronicle cartoon and TV history.  |
| The Jetsons and Jabberjaw |
Charlie's Angels, Popeye, Peanuts, Gilligan's Island, Mork & Mindy and lots more!
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| Welcome Back Cotter! |
RC Cola and Nehi collectibles too.
Chero-Cola was a competitor of Coca Cola till Coke successfully sued them for patent infringement. They changed to RC Cola and Nehi.
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Remember these shoes?
Poll-Parrot, Poll Parrot,
The shoes you ought to buy
Poll-Parrot, Poll Parrot
They make your feet run faster
As fast as I can fly
- I remember getting some and coming home and telling my Mom to watch me running around the pond, thinking I was definitely running faster.
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Tom's Peanuts gets a corner, and there are several shelves of radios.
There is a painting here of Eddie Martin, St. EMO!
Too early to stop for the day where I'd planned, so we continue north and end up at site #17 at James Floyd State Park. Electric and hot showers! Most of the 25 sites are filled so it is a bit "cozy". One has a big outdoor tv with several people watching Georgia Football game. $34.
Nice camp host getting into the October vibe.
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| These ghosts lined the campground road. |
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