Life is good when sipped straight from the jar.
This is a little story behind the cover art for my autobiography, My Life in a Jar: The Book of SMO. I decided to add some real nostalgic memorabilia to the canvas. A collection of photos from my younger years-my dad on the tractor, my brother at Boy Scout Camp, of course the perfect picture my mom took from our home in California, and a solo shot of me hanging by the chicken coop. I dropped in my dad's dog tags along with an American flag patch and some pocket change-tokens to remind me of the wisdom and patriotism he instilled in those around him. These things represent the values that mean most to me-fighting for the love of his country, and the American flag- a symbol of FREEDOM.
He loved America immensely, and the dog tags honor his sacrifice for our freedom as a career Navy veteran. The change at the bottom reminds us to work hard to care for the ones we love, and that all we really only need just a little bit to truly be Redneck Rich.
The Sharpie is for you, Kinfoke. I've written countless names and best wishes through the past two decades. I've been covered in Sharpie Stains and I cannot express to you enough how powerful the Sharpie has been for me. The pen truly is mightier than the sword-or maybe my Sharpie is tougher than my samurai sword...(remember the Kickin' It in TN video??) Anyway, the Sharpie symbolizes our permanent [marker] bond that will make us family forever.
These talismans are relics of a lifetime weaved with the legacy of love and labor-countless miles, memories, and moonshine in masons. This is, MY Life in a Jar.
This is a photo I took on the farm. I love photography and spent many years editing my own work-I felt it pertinent to create the visual for my story.