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Portrait Stories6 min read

Gary's Picks

"Gary's Picks"

Here is the latest installment to my ONE Project- a portrait of the always cool Gary Hughes and his Fathers Day guitar picks.  

Here is Gary's story:

The first Father’s Day after I became a dad, my wife gifted me with something special - a brass guitar pick with my daughter's name etched on it. Since then, every Father’s day after we have welcomed a new baby to the family, I get another pick with another name on it (we now have four kids).

On my keychain, I keep a hand-made, leather guitar pick holder containing all four of these special items so that, in a way, I carry my kids with me wherever I go.

Funny enough, if you had asked me years ago if I would want a gift like that. I would have probably told you it was cheesy. All these years later, when I find myself far from my family on a trip, it’s interesting how often I will look down and see them in my hand - four little brass picks with the names of my children on them, and me not remembering having taken them out of their pouch.

Written by

Larry Lourcey

Plano-based portrait artist and photographic educator. Larry's work ranges from quiet black-and-white studies to vibrant gallery pieces — and the occasional essay from the studio.

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