The Art of Farming

SYNOPSIS

Sam Bartlett’s formidable antagonist has four legs. Sol, a miniature donkey, schemes daily to outwit his kindly caretaker. This delightful rural drama regales a symbiosis of plants, humans, dogs and livestock, with wild creatures observing from secluded, weedy perimeters. 

Retired from teaching, artist Sam farms thirty acres. His popular paintings of vast prairies at sunset are selling well. He plans to market organic herbs and produce, hiring local after-school teens. Begrudgingly raised on a farm, he once swore that when he grew up, he’d never go back. Time and age break promises.

Elysia boasts a pretty town square, complete with a handsome county courthouse. Sam’s girlfriend, Annie, is a food writer who travels a lot. Bartlett Farm is her sanctuary.

The Art of Farming is a hopeful tale about stewardship of the land, the animals, and of each other. It honors the integrity of agriculture, as expressed in ancient literature and art. 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

T.D. Motley writes about art and organic farming. Born in Beaumont, Texas, he has been drawing since the age of three. His family has farmed in Texas since the mid-19th century. For many years, he and his wife, artist Rebecca, marketed their organic, heirloom herbs and produce to North Texas chefs and farmers’ market customers.

Motley is Professor Emeritus of Art and Art History at Dallas College. His drawings and paintings have been exhibited nationally and are included in numerous collections across the U.S. and Texas. He has lectured at the Dallas Museum of Art, the Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum in Austin, the Meadows Museum at Southern Methodist University, and the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth. He is a contributing author for Eutopia and ArtSpiel and has written about mid-century modern Texas artists for DB/Zumbeispiel and the Grace Museum in Abilene. Motley has received Fulbright grants to Belgium, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.

Motley is the past president of the board of Artist Boat, a Galveston-based nonprofit that teaches students about coastal nature through art and science. He served for several years as chair of the North Texas Fulbright Teacher Exchange Peer Review Committee. Previously, he worked as a printer in the U.S. Air Force, an illustrator for Ling-Temco-Vought Corporation, and a cartoonist for the infamous Dallas Notes from the Underground newspaper. His artworks can be seen at J. Peeler Howell Fine Art in Fort Worth.

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REVIEW

In The Art of Farming, T.D. Motley presents a unique blend of a farmer’s life seen through the eyes of an artist. The protagonist, Sam Bartlett, hails from a family of farmers but chooses a different path. He pursues his dream of attending art school and later becomes an art professor. After retirement, he returns to his small Texas hometown and embarks on an unconventional farming journey. His family, skeptical about his choice of crops, questions the feasibility of his success.   

The story unfolds a journey of Sam caring for the land, animals, friends, and the community with his partner, Annie. The vivid descriptions of the benefits of organic farming combined with heirloom seeds were fascinating, with delightful, gentle vignettes to show the lessons, trials, and rewards of choosing the road less traveled. One can almost taste the delicious produce, feel the breezes, and hear the chatter of friends. The characters, including Sam’s partner Annie, play a significant role in the story, yet they lack the expected details to make them endearing in this fictional tale. The unforgettable rascal, Sol, will make readers smile as this miniature donkey seemingly schemes like a naughty child who winds his way into one’s heart.

Stunning sketches capture the imagination and snatches of the history of famous artists with eye problems. For example, it was fascinating to learn Monet had cataracts removed from his right eye, altering his view of colors. Mild editing issues are easily overlooked when enjoying the beautiful world created between the pages of The Art of Farming. With its serene beauty, the rural setting offers a place for readers to sit back and appreciate Sam’s experiences in perhaps the best phase of his life, as he combines farming and painting with heartwarming love. Please pick up your copy to learn ways to stop and appreciate the bounty you can discover while learning to enjoy nature’s beautiful world.

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