Rural Artist Enjoys Life
Simpson County artist Ann Layton
began painting after her kids were grown. “Ada Griffith was teaching me needlework and quilting in the 1970s, and one day, she looked at me and said, ‘Ann, I’m going to teach you to paint with oils.’ ” Ann, who had always enjoyed drawing, took to painting with ease and enthusiasm. She prefers painting wildlife and outdoor scenes, but she also enjoys painting objects that hold meaning for her family, like a conch shell that dates back to when her ancestors lived in Wales; the beloved family Bible; and an ancient milking stool that has been handed down from one generation to the next. Right now, Ann is fascinated with peacocks, but that could change. She says her artist’s eye is like that. She often takes a camera with her, snapping photos for future reference.
On the day of her interview, she visited a beautiful water park near her home. She admired the waterfall and the way the
shoreline had become carved and washed smooth by the rushing, tumbling water. Could waterfalls be a future subject? “Waterfalls are fascinating,” she said. “When you paint, you look at things differently. “You notice shadows and where the light hits. You see things in a whole different way than you used to. “Painting for me is so relaxing,” she added. “I can start painting and spend hours before I realize that time has passed. I would sometimes forget to cook Maurice’s dinner. But he would always remind me.” She laughed. FARM LIFE
creek reflected the midafternoon sunlight. She also noticed how the rocks along the
Maurice and Ann were married for almost 60 years before his death in 2011. “I was attending Mississippi State College
B Y G LY N D A P H I L L I P S MAY/JUNE 2014
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
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