<Begin Segment 9>

MN: I have information that in 1972 you started painting with Edgar Whitney's Saturday group. Is that correct?

HF: Yeah, that's correct.

MN: And you also took workshops with Robert E. Wood, George Post, Rex Brandt, but it was Carl Molno who had the greatest influence on you.

HF: That's right.

MN: How did he influence you?

HF: Well, I was painting realistically, and he was an abstract painter. And I got to the point where I was with Ed Whitney, and there must be other ways of painting besides painting realistically. So I pointed it out, and they said, "Why don't you go to Carl Molno?" And so when I was inquiring about that, Carl happened to be standing around. So, "There's Carl over there, why don't you ask him?" So he said, "I'll be starting my classes at my church in Germantown in New York City in the winter." So he says, "I'll let you know." So that's how I got started with Carl Molno.

MN: And that's when you started to do more abstract painting?

HF: Yes.

MN: Did you always work in watercolors or did you work in other...

HF: Yes, yes.

MN: Not... why do you like watercolor?

HF: Huh?

MN: Why do you like watercolor over others?

HF: Well, it was easy to work with, it wasn't messy.

<End Segment 9> - Copyright © 2009 Manzanar National Historic Site and Densho. All Rights Reserved.