FIRE HOUSE FIVE PLUS TWO
Mentor Huebner
(c) 1950
Charcoal on Composition Paper 16" x 20"

When Mentor was a kid he was lured to Disney Studios. It was "Uncle Walt's' style to more or less grab the Chouinard talents and put them to work. (Cheap) It's a long story. Mentor didn't like the job. However during the time he was there (working on Snow White for the scene where the Dwarfs skip across a bridge singing, "Whistle while you work") ~ he met Ward Kimball.

He liked Ward and Ward liked him. Ward could see that Mentor was talented and would go far. Mentor didn't go for animation. He would do it if pushed. But he preferred Life Drawing. (And in fact taught it for over 25 years.)

Ward was one of Disney's special team of animators who Disney and his bunch called the "Nine Old Men. He was talented. Famous. After Disney, Mentor went on to do Conceptual Designs for 250 feature Films. But just before destiny beckoned, Mentor frequently attended Ward's famous parties.

To relax Ward had a side interest. A Jazz Band. They did quite a few recordings. They were popular. They still sell. They were called the Fire House Five Plus Two. They played great Dixieland. They performed at the parties. The drawing was done, as Mentor said, "Fast & Dirty". No doubt while he gulped down a barbecued hamburger. Despite it's unimportance in Mentor's life, and his complete lack of interest in its survival, it too has value. Historical value.

Mentor' casual doodles, show a distinct artistic flair. There is speed and rhythm in all of them. He also often scribbled drawings while on the phone. They meant nothing to him. He couldn't have cared less.

But the result of his uncaring, was that everyone else cared ~ a lot.