Footprints in Paint

For most of his childhood, aspiring artist Leon Gardner faces the trials of being an aspiring painter. From hoping for the support of his father, who believes Leon should follow in his footsteps and become an athlete, to reveling in the joy of artistic success later in his life, Leon learns the value of art and its effects on his loved ones.

As he struggles to stay true to his vocation while still making his art known, Leon is pressured to conform to the societal norms of contemporary art. In Footprints in Paint, Leon searches for the answer to the hardest question an artist must answer. Can he prove to his loved ones and the world that the source of great art is not simply the coaching of the experts, but that it lies in individual artistic inspiration?

Clarence Smith, Jr., was born on July 22, 1924, in Pineville, Louisiana. He is a retired meteorologist who obtained his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Chicago. Although he is originally from Louisiana, Smith has resided in Madison, Mississippi, for the last ten years. As a bachelor, he engages in his hobby of collecting art books, jokes, and funny stories. Smith wrote Footprints in Paint because he wanted to show readers the struggle an artist goes through.