A Reluctant CEO Navigates Her Grief and Continues to Create Her Art: Meet Anne Heywood

I have with me in the studio artist and Haywood. Nice to have you here today. Thank you for inviting me. We have behind me a lovely scene, which looks like it actually could be fall in. Yeah, it is fall it's. Um, it's the scene outside of my front door and Waldoboro actually. And, um, it was, I'll tell you it was Dawn and I, you won't find too many Dawn pictures in my portfolio because I'm not a morning person. However, um, this was just spectacular. I don't know what it was. I think, you know, I look at the picture, but I think, and I can smell the clear air and I can hear the quiet and I think that's what really, but the, but the, um, the light is what really captured it. Um, you know, it captured it is what really attracted me to paint it. I have to have like an aha moment before I'll say, yeah, I'll consider that to be, um, paintable. So, uh, that was my, that caught my aha moment. Um, it's realistic. And yet I took out a few things. Um, there's a little dirt path from going toward me and I took that out. Just wanted to make the it all about the I'm all about the, the sun sun coming up the dine. So it created shadows from trees. And that's what I wanted to emphasize the tree shadows, the light. Um, if you think about it, it's not, doesn't have too much depth. It only goes kind of mid depth, mid, mid ground, and yet, um, and the viewer, I think the tree on the left, because it's so much closer to the viewer than the rest of it. I think it places the viewer. So here I am, I'm looking a little bit down at the road, which anybody, most people would be if you have any height, but I think I'm up a little higher. I'm a short person. So it definitely, I was up a bit higher, um, and, um, really attracted me to, I wanted to show the, um, I wanted to give the feeling of cool and quiet and sun coming up. So there's light. That's where I was going. So, um, so that would be autumn Dawn. Well, it reminds me of a lot of, um, morning runs that I take in, in the autumn. I mean, I happen to be a morning person, so, And VU, Well, I think everybody's kind of, you, you resonate one way or the other. Right. And I can't stay up too late cause I get cranky, but mornings that's my time. But so when I look, when I look at this, I very much appreciate that you took the time to capture this because me, it, it is, it's like getting on the trails when I'm out running as the sun is up. You know, it's funny you say that because I'm not too far from there. There's a woman who runs and I mean, she runs distances. She and her husband, she heard the loop. She does is probably 15 miles on a daily basis. So, um, she, there's another scene I did that is if I were to look at this and then take a turn to the right. And she ended up buying that because she said it was at the same time of day. It was not the same day, but the same time a year, same time of day. And she said, I, I go by that every day. And it just, you know, I see that because it's so early in the morning and I just want to, you know, I want to have that in my home to enjoy. So that's really funny. I never really connected that until you said that It is a special time of day. I mean, it's, it's very magical. It's very quiet when I'm out. I often will see deer. So the deer they're obviously running much faster than I am, but, um, you know, there's a lot of you're by yourself, but you're not. Yeah. Yeah. I imagine it's kind of you in nature or they're feeling like I'm alone, it's quiet. Well, I used to run, um, but again, it was never in the morning. It was always in the evening, um, at those are, those are long gone and, uh, go days. But, uh, I know what you're saying by you see things when you're running that you don't necessarily see when you're driving for sure. Well, for good reason, you have to pay attention a bit to what you're doing that it's driving. But, um, I oftentimes think of myself being an artist that I that's, my job, my job is to see things and that not everybody else might see. Not that it's not there. Not that I have to dive into the depths of a wood Woody place to see it as much as it's just stuff in a daily basis that you go by, you don't necessarily pay attention, but I'm looking to paint my world. So whenever I see, I figures, you know, pretty good. It's, it's up for grabs. One of the things I like about this piece too, is the softness of the, I guess it's somewhat in the foreground, maybe the mid ground, I guess. Um, and some of it has to do with the fact that this is done in pastels. It is. Yeah. Which is not something that everybody, um, likes to use, but it's something that's very, that you've been using for a long time. Yeah. I, I, um, when I was getting my, I, I did the, I did my, um, education, the hard way. I didn't go straight from high school to college. So when I was going to college, I was working full time job. And so it took me 10 years. What's 10 years. I got it. And, um, one of the things that I think is a result of it taking me longer and so forth and so on is that I came to art with much appreciation. I just love painting. And the reason I love painting is because I've had so many other jobs, if you want to call them that career and all this other thing. And, and this is what makes me smile, and this is what's me, and this is what makes me happy. So I have something to compare it to, I guess you could say that. And some of my jobs, I mean, I, it wasn't just jobs. They were really career paths. Um, but I gave that I, it was a hard decision and definitely one I made with my husband and he just said something along the lines of, if it will make you happy, please do it. And then years later he said, it's kind of a backhand compliment, but he did say, um, you know, when you first started, I thought, okay, you know, it's good. It's all right. I just didn't really see you getting this good. I know he didn't mean it in an ugly way. It was a real nice compliment coming from someone who sees you every day sees the, the, the good pieces and not the nuts, so good pieces and goes through the whole axed, um, which he claimed that I would have more emotions in one day than he would have in a year. But of course he being an engineer, you know, what can I say? You were encouraged to go into art by your mother at a relatively young age, even though it took you awhile to kind of get to that point. She saw something. Yeah. And I was so young at the time. I really didn't understand that. The reason that she would say to me, well, besides getting me out of the house, not over here in the summers, you want to take them in art lesson here, would you like to take an art lesson there? And it was, you know, um, you know, at the time the first one, w I think, I don't know, I must've been maybe six, seven or something like that. And because it was muffin tins, it was at the Newport art, uh, art museum was having something for children and, you know, big easel. That's what I remember standing in line with your empty muffin tin to get the different colors, you know, that they were squeezing out of these big bottles. And yeah, I guess she saw that I enjoyed it. And, you know, when you're a kid, you thinking that was fun. And then of course, when I went home, of course I was my, you know, I love to color. I love to trace, I love to, you know, just do anything creative art wise. And, um, so then she tried it again. You know, when I was a little bit older, she tried to find something for me to do in summers because, um, there weren't a lot of kids around where we lived to play with that were my age. So she'd always get me going with something or other, so that, that led to one summer, um, riding horses, which I, I, I liked that too. Um, don't think I'll go back to that one though. They're much bigger now, but, um, yeah. And I went to, um, one, uh, um, an art course, a summer art course at a local high school. And, um, eh, came home with mixed feelings about that one, but it was really kind of out of my realm. It was a F in a high school, even though they told my mother that, you know, oh, any age is fine, any age, wasn't fine because the teacher was really a high school teacher. And, um, let's just say that, uh, my, my lasting memory is I thought that whatever it was that I had done, and I can't even remember what it was though. It was pretty darn good. And when he gave a critique in front of the whole class, he was pretty darn. Yeah. I can't remember what he said, but all I remember is crying in the field alone after the year, you know, it was a little too over the top for my age. So he apologized and then, you know, life went on, but it's funny that all these years later, I remember that, but it never really stopped me from going forward with it. I just kind of remember it, you know, and I've had students of my own, I taught for art for over 20 years and I've had some of them come into my class and say, you know, I don't have any talent. Um, you know, I was told I was no good. And it's like, I can connect, you know, as far as, you know, one don't you tell yourself, you don't have talent cause you don't have an exporting yet. So let's start from that. And then two. So what that was somebody else's opinion at all that let's see what we can do. So I think that's great that you've been able to connect your own personal experience with maybe not such a good, um, episode in your art training with the ability to bring something out of other people, because some people might take it in a different direction. You know, I've seen people go in a different direction, somebody's treated badly, I'm going to treat the next person badly, but that's not the way that you're doing. No, I would never even consider that. In fact, it would motivate me more to, to be, you know, understanding. Um, and I think that helps a lot. I, I, you know, when I give instruction, I'll say, this is how you know, and this is why. And particularly when I go up by the person's easel with their piece on the easel and they're standing there and it'll be just one-on-one type of thing. And I'll say, okay, so tell me what you like about this. Well, I get, usually I could tell you what I don't like about it comes out first and I'll get them to verbalize that. And then I'll say, okay, so you can do this, or you can do that. Usually there's a choice. Um, and they'll say, they'll look at me like, oh, I've never really thought about it, but it makes sense. And I'll say to them, why do you think I know this? And they look at me and I'll say, it's because I made the same mistakes. And I corrected them both either way. Depends, you know, which way. Uh, so, you know, it's just a matter of me passing along my knowledge, giving you a chance to develop your style, your whatever, um, so that you can do what you love and you can take it or leave it, you know, and you're strong with, or without me, you're strong. It doesn't make any difference. You you've actually needed to be strong yourself. So I suspect that when you say to somebody else you're strong, I suspect it's because you've needed to dig deep and not just by being criticized. When you were taking a class from a high school art teacher in the last few years, you've needed to kind of step away from your art a little bit and towards, um, being responsible for a business. That's now A hundred and twenty five, twenty five years, years old. Tell me what that's been like for you. Yeah, it's been, um, challenging and it's been interesting. And, um, I don't know, those are the two words that were come right out is challenging and interesting I a year. Well, when I was 13, my mother died. So that was, you know, how you have phases in your life. You can say, oh, um, I just such as just saying, well, how, and you kind of, you judge what you did depending upon those milestones. So they may be good milestones or not so good, whatever it is, you can say that was before my mom. Well, that was after that, that type of thing. So she having, given me a lot of support for my art, as far as sending me there thinking I had talent, I want to prove her. Right. So that gives me a lot of motivation when things get tough. And then in the last another milestone, not so good, but my husband passed away. And basically I stepped into his shoes as CEO of a 125 year old company that has nothing to do with art. However, I do have to say they now have a wonderful collection in their offices. And honestly, when people come in, the type of work we do does not have a lot of people come in other than employees most of the time. But when we do have visitors, as we had many visitors, when we had our celebration for the 125 year anniversary, um, when people come in and they walk around and oh, wow, that's really nice. Or, oh, wow. Look at that one there kind of thing. And I don't usually say anything about I did that. I did that. Somebody does usually say, oh, the CEO did that or something like that. And, um, it's like, jaw drop, you know, so you're doing this and that. So I think I've been tested, let's put it that way. Um, but life is like that. And, um, I think at the beginning, um, cause you know, I was grieving, um, and it just happened to be February of 2020. And I was like all of a sudden pandemic danger, you know, just flourish started coming out. So my, they didn't have the face mask, anything when my husband passed, but a week later or whatever it was, he got a wonderful, um, I it's terrible thing to say, but it really was a nice, um, going away funeral, a real one where people came and all that, um, of right after that, that was stopped. So then I'm sitting in his chair and I think, you know, some about 20 people at the time. And um, I met with each division, each section one by one said, um, I'm not, I'm not giving up. You know, I'm here, not an engineer like everybody else or like most people or whatever. But, um, I had worked for the company for quite a few years and um, in different aspects. I mean, I'll bet a lot of people there that are working there today don't know that I designed their logo, that I toot. I did the website, not the nitty gritty of, we had a web master to put it all together, but I provided all the information for that, which is saying a lot. And um, you know, I've done other things over the years, but anyway, um, I made it very clear. Um, I'm going forward. So, um, it's been a learning curve. Um, every day is a learning curve, but here we are a year and a half later and we've just been given, um, a citation from the governor as a congratulatory, uh, for 125 years. We were given us citation from, um, um, a Senator from a house representative and also proclamation locally that this is the Thompson and Lechner company day, October 21st. So, um, we'll have a day to celebrate every year. Now This be really rewarding for you, considering that you were kind of handed this situation, you made a very conscious decision to do something that was quite difficult during a very difficult time kind of globally, but also personally. And Here you are. Yeah. I'm almost amazed, honestly. Um, boy, not to say, I mean, it's been Rocky, um, you know, it's hard, uh, very hard and I wouldn't wish it on anyone to be honest with you, not that combination anyway, but, um, I happened to one day and I don't hardly watch TV. I have don't time, but I stumbled upon a Ted talk, which I absolutely love those. Um, so it probably wasn't even on TV. Um, I can hear my grandchildren ha ha. That was not on TV. Okay, fine. Um, um, and there was a woman that got up and, um, to talk, she's all, you know, all alone on that state. She was very eloquent and she described her challenging time and I can not remember the combination, but one of them was that her husband passed away. Then somebody else passed away then something else. It was like the whole world on her shoulders all at once. And she said something along the lines that I'm in here I am and I'm okay. And I, you know, and I thought, I didn't even get to see the, the end of it, but I thought good for you. I've always been very pro woman anyway. I mean, I just, you know, I've, I've done, I've been the women's representative in a large company at one point in my life at career of different jobs and all that. And I think, um, you know, it's very important, um, to keep going, um, to give up to me, sounds like a loss of opportunity and the fact that all this happened at once, not my fault, sir, um, you know, I had nothing to do with it, so, okay. And as hard as things were for me, there's other people that have much harder things, um, you know, knock on wood. My family is all healthy and um, you know, so many other things could have happened, but they didn't. So I'm happy and I still get to do my art. Um, and I get to sit here today and I get to be represented by the, uh, Portland art gallery. And I'm, I'm just, I think I've got some very good things going on. So I think there's changes coming, but that's just life anyway. I mean, that's just part of it. Everybody's got their things, don't you agree? I, I absolutely actually in your, your, your, um, in your, um, section of, you know, what you do sure. You see and hear lots of stories from a lot of people's life. Yeah. I mean, when I'm talking with patients, I'm continually amazed by the resilience and strength and fortitude that people show in the face of adversity. So it's, um, it's very humbling to me because I think we all go through hard times, but then when we look at other people and they go through even harder times and you think, wow, that took a lot, that person really had to kind of dig deep and hang on and keep showing up every single day to live a difficult life. If there's a movie, I forget who's in it. But, uh, I think it's Robert dinero, but Brooklyn story, I'm not good at remembering names, but there's a line. He says his, his young son is getting into trouble. Now he, you know, he's starting to get into making friends with the wrong people and all that. And he sees it and he's he's corners. You know, he takes him aside one day and he says, those people, aren't your heroes. He said, the guys that go to work every day, day after day and do what's right. Those are your heroes. Those are the ones that you should look up to. And that's where you should, you should start doing not these guys that make the easy money. And I never forgotten that too. And it's funny, the things you remember, the things you forget, but, um, I think that's true. I think it's very true. Um, you know, not everybody who's a hero or does things really, um, you know, um, hard is recognized and so forth, but that's okay. I mean, it's not, you know, I'm not, I'm not looking necessarily for recognition. I'm just, I'm looking for happiness, like everybody else. And to walk away from a company after my husband spent 40 something years of his life working there, and it was a lot to him would have just been walking away and I could have, but I didn't. And I'm, I'm happy with that decision. Yeah. But I want to get back to painting more. I can't help. How did you meet your husband? Um, oh boy. If he was here, he would really have a good story for you. Anyway, my sister, um, is about, well, I have to say it she's eight years older than me. It's not a big deal, except when you're young as a big deal. And so he was a friend of my sister's and he is actually a friend of my sister's boyfriend now husband for many, many years. So they used to hang around a lot, all three of them. I hate to, it sounds funny, but it's true. And so, um, he would come over and my mom would be there and my mom was very sociable. She loved young people. She loved to talk to them, sit down, we'll have a cup of tea and tell me what you've been doing kind of thing. And so he knew my mom and, um, he knew me and I was like, I will, I was eight when he was 16. So not even in the cards, nowhere near that. So I left, um, I left not quite like that, but, um, years later when I was 16, um, my dad, my mom was gone. My dad remarried and we, he, my dad had a jaw. Um, um, it was a PR promotion. He worked for the Navy, but he, we were not Navy. Um, so he was promoted to a position in Naples, Italy. So even though I had all my friends and I had to leave them and I was not happy about it at the time, um, I ended up going to, um, Naples, Italy and finishing my high school and so forth and so on. Um, and then, um, I stayed there for overall. Um, 12 years had had my son there and married, had my son there and all that, and then came back to the states and, um, and stayed with my sister first because I mean, it really didn't have a job before I left or anything. I was looking for a job and, and all that. And so, um, he went, came over, asked him, still friends with her and her husband of course. And he came over to visit. And, um, well, I guess the rest is history. So he said he was, he hadn't seen me for years and I hadn't seen him for years, but it's funny. I mean, there was a, there was a connection there that, um, you know, he was from so long ago, I felt very comfortable with him and vice versa. So he was somebody I could trust and you know, all that. So, well, like I said, the rest is history. I think we were married, um, officially married for 30 something years. So that's the way it goes and like funny, huh? He was a great supporter of my art. I can not tell you. He would come with me to, um, the there's international pastel society conventions. And I was at the point where they, I was one of the speakers there. I was one of, I gave a workshop there so forth and so on and he would, and there, there was, they didn't have one base. It was held in, um, usually mid countries so that people could, everybody wouldn't be too far. Anybody wouldn't be too far from it. So Kansas city one time, um, I dunno, uh, Arizona, um, at different places. So anyway, he would take a workout a week and that means a lot, cause he was not one for doing that. Um, and come with me to, um, to the, the, um, the convention. And of course he wouldn't sit around doing nothing and just have fun going out alone or, you know, wait till I get out and all that. He volunteered to be at the registration desk. And it was really funny cause he made, it became, uh, it became something he looked forward to. He would meet everyone because of obviously where he was, everybody had to check in and register. And then he made pals with these other guys, um, who were doing the same thing. They were there with their spouses. And so they volunteered to be there. And, um, they, they were great. They were really funny because, um, his, my husband's name was Bob and then another guy's name was Bob and another guy was a, they called him a, I want to be Bob or something like that. So he, um, he had fun and um, and then he would come to so many openings and so forth that were local or whatever. And, um, you know, be right there and um, just, um, all the, all the time, you know, help me get my stuff were to a show or whatever all the time. Um, he just, um, and one of the things I want to pass along is that when he was, he noticed when he was at the international, um, registration desk, that combination of artist and engineers being married was uncommonly higher than other combinations of, of, of, um, you know, people who had different, um, you know, like artists, marrying artists or whatever he made it. And I've looked for that actually, because he's mentioned it, he mentioned it and I've found too. There is a, there was a lot of people that it must be opposites attract or I don't know, but, um, yeah, th that, um, it's really funny to, to, to see his side of things. Um, he would critique my work when I asked him to, and, um, sometimes the comment was doesn't do anything for me. It's like, okay, fine. I don't want to hear that one. And then other times it'd be like, yeah, I like it. And then other times it could be, I don't like it. And so I would take it like every man's, you know, get outside my art world and see what every man thought about it. And, um, you know, um, it was nice to have some feedback like that because it never really took it and you know, it never upset me or anything. It was more like, yeah, well sometimes I'd say I don't care if you don't like it. I do. So that's the end of that other times it'd be like, Hmm, let me think about that. And, you know, get him to tell me why more than anything else. But, um, yeah, he was a real supporter. I have to say, if not for him, I wouldn't have achieved as many things as I've achieved in my, uh, late start to my art career. So I think everybody needs somebody like that. I agree. Is he also your connection to me? He is, or yeah, he still say is yes. Yeah. So yes, his mother and father had a, um, a, um, a real main camp. What I mean by that is outhouse and two rooms. No, actually one who was started up being, no, it was two rooms and, um, we were invited to go up and, um, and stay there, you know, when we, you know, when they were there at first and I remember the first time we went up and I was, it was like, we did the biggest mistake. We took route one all the way. And I thought, oh my God, where is this place? You know, is it worth it? But when I got there, it was like, this is worth it. This is gorgeous, this right on the damper, Scott, a lake and humble little place, but right there. And, um, it just, the whole place to me was magical as far as I can paint that I could do that. Hmm. That looks like a good, you know, so we eventually ended up purchasing a piece of land, um, site on scene for back taxes that my father-in-law found out about because he knew we were looking and, um, and then we, we built what's there on it, uh, for the most part, but not all of it. And, um, and then I could come up whenever, you know, even if he didn't, couldn't get away from work, it's like, I'm going. So I spent one summer there and just painted and it was wonderful. He would come up and visit weekends and it was tough on him for that. Cause it's a long drive from where we are. It's a good four hour drive in the summer that can stretch to six. But, um, it was great. And then of course I've painted after, after that. I mean, all you see practically for me or main scenes really, it's funny, but it's just inspiring to me. I love nature and I love the quiet and, um, you know, the lack of traffic sometimes not in a summer, let's not count that part, but all of that, it all makes for an, of course now it's a whole bunch of memories which can't beat, you know, good memories for the most part. Um, going out in the kayak, I love doing that. I did a scene from how it looks sitting in a kayak, you know, the point of the kayak, the blue water and what was beyond it. I really liked those ones. It puts you right there, but it's every, as I told you, every, I have so many stories, but every painting has a story behind it. I don't just paint something because it's pretty, it's all got something else to it for me. Um, you know, I just, uh, I enjoy it. It's um, it's me. Yeah. I think that in some of the information you provided, you referenced a haystack series. Yes. Um, I've been thinking and thinking and thinking about that, and it's not, it doesn't have a haystack in it. It's more for the idea of going to do, um, I'm going to do the scene at the end of the day. We have a Wharf that goes out to the, you know, in the lake, um, and meaning goes out, it gets you out further than shore. And my husband and I used to meet there at, I think it was six o'clock every evening when we were both here and, um, meet with my glass of wine, him with his camera or whatever, and sit and watch the sun go down. And there's a little island. It's not a very long view as far as very deep view, but we were on a part of the lake that's called a narrow, so kind of shallow, but there is, um, it, there is a look of, you know, on golden pond dish to it because there's an island. Um, not very far. Um, fact I've often thought that would make a great studio just to, you know, pull up the moat. There's no moat, but anyway, um, and we've, I've seen that and that sunset and so many different times of the year and so many different colors and so many different weather conditions and so forth that I've been talking for at least five years about I'm going to do a series, I'm going to do a series. Cause I love it. It just, in fact, I started out doing it without realizing what I was doing. I would, I had a whole bunch of different paintings and then somebody pointed out to me, oh, you like that scene? I guess. And I looked and I looked and I looked and I thought Rica, I do. So when then I thought I'm going to continue it purposely. So every year I say, this is the year. So this is the year when I really hope I actually do it. Um, and I, I will, I will, I have something up, I have things in mind and all that. So I'm going to do it. Yes. My observation of you is that you're a pretty determined individual. So if you say you're going to do something, I have no doubt that you will. Well, I have to stay realistic. I only have so much time. I only have so many days. I get just like everybody else, you know, 24 7, that's it. But um, if I keep that thought it'll happen, I just have to stop beating myself up about not doing it yet. It's okay. It's fine. And I'll bet when I do do it, it's going to be even better than it would've been. If I forced it, I can't force my paintings. You know, it doesn't work. I've tried that it, it just doesn't work. I look forward to seeing it. I do too. Maybe the next time you and I talk you'll yeah. You'll be able to show it to me. That would be good. That'd be good. I've been speaking with artists and Haywood. You can see her art at the Portland art gallery. Hopefully at some point in the not too distant future, you'll see her haystack series. That will be very wonderful to see. I've enjoyed my conversation today with you. And I encourage people to get to know you a little bit. And I think your work is wonderful and you are wonderful as well. Thank you. Thank you so much. It's been a pleasure.