H-E-B, 1985
Another commission came my way from Charles Butt, the CEO of a Texas grocery store chain,
H-E-B, founded by his ancestor Howard E. Butt, and still owned by the family. Charles wanted photographs of employees in selected stores all over Texas — there were then 150 of them — to hang in the new offices being built in San Antonio.
I asked if instead I could photograph them in the store and then after work, in whatever way they chose, making diptychs of each person. Charles was worried that his employees, for whom he had great respect, might feel intruded upon, but he agreed that I could go to San Antonio and do a trial run for 2 or 3 days. If the report was okay from his people then he would give me the green light. It was and he did.
I loved talking with the grocery store workers, learning about the life of working people, how they valued both their jobs and their leisure time. There were many Mexican-Americans in south Texas and they greatly impressed me by the way they preserved their heritage through the closeness in their families.
The commission was originally for 12-18 diptychs but Charles ultimately bought about 40 of them. It was the first time I made any money at photography.
