OWENSBORO, Ky. (AP) -- Larry Simpson doesn't see any big deal or ``cross current'' in his job as a firefighter and his passion as an artist.
``Everyone at the fire department has something they do to take the time away. ... This just happens to be my crossword puzzle,'' Simpson said.
Simpson's exhibit, ``The Figure,'' started Sept. 13 and will run through Oct. 15 at the Ralph Center for Fine Arts and Communication Arts on the Kentucky Wesleyan College campus.
In his spare time Simpson also is an assistant coach for men's and women's soccer teams at KWC and teaches a drawing class at the college.
Simpson, 42, is a full-time firefighter, but that may be changing soon. He hopes to retire from the Owensboro Fire Department next year.
His fellow firefighters are a slice of the community, Simpson said. Most have provided good support, but some will let him know if there's something they don't like.
``The big oils take a while to dry, so I have to make sure I'm not a nuisance,'' Simpson said.
Six-year firefighter Chris Flake said Simpson had been at his artistry for quite some time before he came to the No. 5 station.
``I don't have any gift like that - toward artwork - but I knew he was pretty talented from the charcoals when I first saw them,'' Flake said.
Walking among his drawings, paintings and sculptures recently in the Ralph Center Gallery, Simpson said he's pleased with the exhibit. The selections represent about 18 months of work.
``But it's not something I pursued. ... If people like it and I sell a piece or two, then that's fine,'' Simpson said.
The 18 months produced many more works, but the stronger pieces are on exhibit.
``I had about 50 drawings, so I let Bill (Kolok) choose the ones for the show,'' Simpson said. ``I like them all. Drawings are always what I see from life, from models; paintings are from memory or collections of memories. Sculpture is a process - you start with a rock with no form in mind.''
Kolok, art professor at KWC, said he met Simpson through his drawings.
``Since I'm a sculptor, I looked at the stone, and I was impressed with his command of the human body,'' Kolok said.
The college needed someone ``to teach drawing in a dynamic fashion,'' and Simpson fit the bill, Kolok said.
While this is the first semester Simpson has taught, his work is producing results with his students.
``Larry has been doing this for 20 or 30 years, but his teaching is new,'' Kolok said. ``The kids take to him; he speaks the language of art with a freshness.''
Simpson has been drawing and painting ``all of his life,'' he said. Sculpting however, is a newer venue he began a little more than a year ago.
The artist graduated from high school and then spent a year at Western Kentucky University before making a ``brutal choice'' between continuing at WKU or going with a good job at the fire department.
``If you want to be an artist, it's just something you do,'' Simpson said. And so he continued to draw and paint and to take a course from time to time ``because I like that environment.''
Simpson's works are untitled.
``I don't want the observer to have preconceived ideas,'' Simpson said. ``I like to follow people through the gallery. ... They come up with some pretty interesting ideas.''
Simpson has his own criteria for determining if he's hit the mark with his artistry.
``If it's a success to me, it conveys human feeling,'' he said.
