In a 1999 song, Tom Waits persistently asks, “What's he building in there?/ What the hell is he building in there?” In his humble garage art studio, Tom Shelton has been making magical “pictures,” often landscapes, rendered through the ordered lens through which he sees the world. In fact, a piece on Journey Indiana describes him as a “system painter.” Not only did we discuss his paintings but also his childhood, partially defined by his mother’s alcoholism, and his circuitous and beautiful life path.

Episode links:

• I Call Him Tom (documentary mentioned in episode)
• Jouney Indiana: The System Painter
• Solway Gallery

Thank you to our sponsors, Gretchen and Ruth Nall and Bloomington Rentals and Realty for their support of the pod.

And thanks as usual to badknees

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Content Warning: It is never our intention to hurt or offend people, and we plan to be mindful about not punching down. We are always open to feedback about this because we want to keep growing and evolving until we croak. However, we do like to joke around and we are middle-aged, so our sense of humor may not be for you.