Duquette: Living Large and Living Free

Thank you for the pictorial ode to artist Tony Duquette (“Magic Show,” by Mary McNamara, photographed by Josh Paul, June 27). Duquette is an inspiration to those of us who share his taste for “living large”--much to the dismay of the uptight, stodgy, Midwestern transplants who govern many of our ubiquitous gate-guarded homeowners’ associations.

Nowadays, living free is not merely an art; it’s a privilege most of us have willingly surrendered in exchange for a promise of security.

Carol Nahin

Palm Desert

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I’ll never forget the exciting exhibition Duquette created at Exposition Park as a gift to Los Angeles for its 1981 bicentennial, with its large and glorious constructions and the lovely, rich tapestries that filled a large hall. It was an enriching experience for the thousands fortunate enough to see it.

Fortunately, I purchased a souvenir album that contained beautiful prints of the exhibit, including the Ray Bradbury poem “A Walk in the Green Garden of the Angels--A Celebration.” It sits on my coffee table for all to enjoy and appreciate.

Nancy E. Ruhl

Los Osos