Norman Saunders and my childhood friend, the smoking cowboy.
Good conversation, even with the bad habit.
Norman Saunders led an interesting life.
For starters, it began in Minot, North Dakota where Wiz Khalifa, Josh Duhamel, Jerod E. Tufte, and poker player Greg Raymer also entered the world. Minot is infamous for being one of the most dreaded assignment selections for those in the Air Force, and not just because of its location and winters, but since North Dakota is generally the butt of jokes, I don’t dwell on it.
Saunders was a legend in the world of pop culture illustration. His work could be seen on the covers of books, comic books, and magazines. They were images of high drama and contrast, full of visual terrors and climactic moments that made you want to read what was behind the cover.
But I didn’t know Saunders that way, initially.