James Barsness The first time I did anything in art that had any profound consequences was to Draw Winky. Draw Winky was this ad in the back of comic books next to the x-ray specs and the "Sell Grit" mail order offers. There was another picture, which was "Draw the Lumberjack' — the macho one — in case you didn't want to draw the deer. I don't know if I drew Winky or if I just sent back the form, but I got the aptitude talent test back from the Famous Artist's Institute. It had true and false questions like 'Which composition is more interesting?' or questions like 'What's out of place in this picture?' Then there was a little section where thy had a drawing of a model, and you were supposed to accessorize her. I gave her some flared slacks and a ribbed turtleneck sweater — I made her look like Diahann Carroll in her TV show. This was around 1966. I sent in the test, and I don't remember doing this but I had checked off the little box that I wanted to be contacted by a representative from the Famous Artist Institute. One day that winter, around five or six in the evening, it was already dark and there was a knock on the door. This is Bozeman, Montana and at that time of night in the winter, there was two feet of snow on the ground, it was bitter cold, and there's nobody out on the street. I opened the door and standing there's this guy who looked just like Paul Drake from the Perry Mason show. He was wearing a three–piece suit, with an overcoat rather than a big parka. He looks like a city slicker and he's dead drunk. I could smell whiskey on his breath, kind of exotic and toxic at the same time. He's the representative from the Famous Artist's Institute. He came in and my parents freaked out. He was there to offer me a scholarship for the Famous Artists Institute correspondence course. It was half off the regular price. Instead of being $600 it was $300, which in 1966 was like a year's worth of groceries. My parents were floored. They were complimented, but there was no way they were going to do anything about it. That's the power of art at work. I put on my resume that I was almost a Draw Winky scholar. <<<<< >>>>>