Speaking of Candy:
When I first met Candy, she was nine and I was forty-six. I liked her right away and I think she liked me. When Candy came to our house to eat dinner, I always took some time to talk with her about what she was doing and about art I had been doing. When she was younger, ten to eleven years old, I would set her up at my desk with some art supplies so she could draw if she wanted to rather than listen to the adults “drone-on”.

When Candy published her high school newsletter, Rick and I contributed to its publication and I sent in a short article and drawing. I wanted to support her work. Candy was a voice among all the Jordan High School students commenting on truth, honesty, and justice. The articles dealt with the disillusionment of the media, TV, ads, movies showing us a false world, glamorous and deceitful. Candy was a gentle person but had a piercing edge.

Whenever we visited Candy’s house, I always had time to visit with Candy in her room, looking at her latest art work. She was exploring something different each time. When I first got to know her, I was going to China to visit with Rick. Rick and I had just met and had been separated for four months. I missed him terribly. Candy drew a picture of me as a lady turtle with heels, pearls and a suitcase going to China. In the next scene I was in China in Rick the turtle’s arms kissing. I loved the drawing because of the sweetness and because I love turtles. I didn’t know then that Candy often used animals to carry her thoughts and emotional messages.

The next thing I knew Candy was off to college. In March 2000 I finally got to connect with Candy and her web site:

Bibby,
It’s good to hear from you. My website was originally created for my computing class. My professor said that she liked looking at it. I haven’t been updating it frequently though. I just don’t have time anymore. A website that is updated daily is considered “evergreen,” and a website that is never updated is “brown.” My site is pretty brown.

My mother and I might go to Europe during the summer. England and Italy. I’m looking forward to it if we do end up going. Did you and Rick go to Spain for a vacation or was it related to work somehow?

This semester, I am taking intro to graphic design, art history (Renaissance to Modern), intro to scientific illustration, English, and intro to printmaking. Next year, I will hopefully be taking computers for graphic designers 1, graphic design 2, creative writing, scientific illustration 1, and a mandatory lecture for designers (origins and issues in contemporary design).

I have also become involved with an independent zine. It’s called “Eat the Monster.” It began as a two person zine (Don and Matt–they are roommates), but now, I’m helping them with it. I’ve only just started helping though. The online version is at
http://eatthemonster.tripod.com/

I hope that Durham isn’t boring to you. I also hope that it’s not the same when I come back for the summer. I come back at the end of April.

Love,
Candy

–On Wed, Mar 29, 2000 11:49 AM -0500 Bibby Moore wrote:
> Hi Candy;
> I finally got to look at your web pages. What great
> and intriguing (sp?) work. I loved the “I hate consumerism”
> and the one I think called “blue ice? or blue something”. What
> do the faculty members think of your work?
> Love,
> Bibby

I regret I did not send Candy any more emails. I missed hearing more about her deep friendship for Don, her struggles at school and her rewarding social life with other good women friends and artists. I pray for her today and hope to meet her spirit again on this earth before I leave.

I love her.

Bibby