Saturday, July 1, 2023

July 1st and I'm FAMOUS

This is the email below my son Jeff Karlsson sent me that he received last year from you Shawn-then lost on his computer. So fun to read this and feel famous after all these years-LOL. I didn’t send in the letter mentioned to the SL Tribune, but someone in my family did-don’t remember who after all these years.  

Mr. Karlsson,  I hope you won't mind my contacting you on regards to my search for Lin Vernon Floyd. I was not able to find any contact information for her online. I am the editor of 15 Bytes, an online magazine devoted to Utah's art community.

Working on some research, I came across a letter that Lin wrote to the Salt Lake Tribune when she was 9, living in Eureka. It was kind of a critique on modern art, the "my kid could do that argument." She sent in one of her own works. The Trib took It in a fun spirit, and provided an analysis of the work. That spurred me to try to track her down, maybe see how she feels about modern art now ;)  I realize Lin is now in her eighties and I hope she is well. If you think it would be appropriate to send this on to her, I would appreciate it.
Shawn Rossiter editor@artistsofutah.org  801.707.3845

HERE'S MY RESPONSE: I moved from Eureka, Utah to Los Angeles, California when I was 10 years old. While there I started ballet lessons and though I enjoyed art it took a back seat as I danced professionally with the Los Angeles City Ballet then returned to Utah to BYU to graduate with a bachelors and masters degree in Dance, teaching dance at BYU, Wisconsin State University and then Cal State Fullerton. Later I returned to college for a year to gain an Elementary Teaching Credential and finished my teaching years in 1st grade then as a school librarian.

I’ve always enjoyed art and find now in my retirement years I love to create book covers, blogs, etc. But abstract art didn’t happen for me. I think all the arts are intertwined. Thanks for your email and the trip back in time. I’m celebrating 83 this month and still have a clipping from the paper in my files.   Lin Vernon Floyd