The Payson Roundup / Andy Towle

Photographer since 1970. Has been in these major fields of photography; commercial, medical, scientific, portrait, photo-journalism. His other abilities include graphic design, writing, lectures on photography, and amusing his friends by inserting foot in mouth when least expected; he has designed ads, brochures, business cards, etc., written articles and stories, given talks on his adventures in photography and provided photo lessons to those who ask. The major portion of his career has been as a commercial, portrait/wedding, and photo-journalist photographer. He is also a Mac geek of sorts, but never seems to learn enough to satisfy his curious nature. He has traveled the United States, in his younger days, on the strength of his thumb. Towle has also lived in Europe, but prefers the US. He settled in Arizona in 1992 and has no plans to leave, except to travel to other places around this country. He is currently writing a book about his different careers and where that has taken him and plans to begin a GPS website about...well, that's still a secret. He likes to take long walks, with camera in hand and capture those fleeting early morning moments of fantastic light before the sun rises, and sometimes during and after, but those moments are unique, rare and special. Ah, 'Before the Sun Rises' could be a name of his current book in the works, but it isn't. He enjoys the company of close friends and the excellent and lively conversation they bring to the table. Of course, he is always observing people, and the follies of man, no matter how inane or brilliant. He has won a fair amount of awards from the Arizona Newspaper Association (17 or 18, but who's counting?) for his photographic efforts and continues to push that shutter to capture that fleeting 'decisive moment'. Thank you, Henri Cartier-Bresson, for the enlightenment. You might visit www.AndysFrame.com and view Andy's latest escapades.

Recent stories

A passion to teach: By Andy Towle; November 25, 2011; Some people find their passion early in life. Lucky people also find the outlet for their passion, whether writing prose, flying planes or working at a library, organizing, formatting and involving young people in reading programs. Katie Sanchez’s intense involvement with the programs sponsored by the Payson Public Library shines through when leading parents and children or teens in activities. A creative writing class for teens, the Reading Corner, a scrapbooking experience, all contain some element of Katie’s commitment.
Women helping women survive breast cancer: Group meets second Thursday of each month; By Andy Towle; October 28, 2011; Walking into a breast cancer support group with my camera bag over the shoulder, I felt like a pair of combat boots among ballet slippers, little realizing I was about to get a lesson in living. Ilona Swenson had talked me into covering the session, hoping an article would help get the word out that this group of cancer survivors was eager to help women cope with a life-threatening trauma that affects about one in eight women — which works out to maybe 1,200 residents of Rim Country. I had braced myself for the story, expecting to emerge frightened and depressed.
Life as art: Biologist and teacher turned artist discovers that with oils, as with life, sometimes you have to listen to the painting; By Andy Towle; September 9, 2011; Most people figure artists live in some alternate world — cutting an ear off to impress a girlfriend and living lives of outrageous strangeness. Perhaps we embrace that stereotype so we can ignore the artist that lurks in our own hearts. But then along comes a painter like Tina Crabdree. Suddenly, you have to rethink your assumptions about artists — and maybe even yourself. If you look at her dense, moody oil paintings now, you’d assume she has painted all her life. Instead, her path includes incarnations as a wildlife biologist, science teacher, alternative school founder, full-time mother — and even a stint in the insurance business. All of that proved perfect preparation, as it turns out, for life as an artist.
Finding her voice: Singer’s passion reveals secret to music’s allure; By Andy Towle; August 5, 2011; For many, music has always set the rhythms of life — a touchstone of memory — the wedding, the breakup, the first rush into love. Early in my introduction to this drink of life in rhyme, I wanted to become a musician. So I found a guy who lived near us who had a homemade guitar for sale. I bought it with visions of becoming famous, writing fantastic songs and having girls fall all over me. Sure.
Music Man: Appraiser turned musician riffs on oft-delayed dream; By Andy Towle; July 20, 2011; Bob Smolenski understands about life and dreams — and patience. That’s because like many other Rim Country residents, he worked his whole life, pursued three different careers and always put practicalities over passion — until he discovered his art.
Appraiser turned musician riffs on oft-delayed dream: Bob Smolenski completed three careers before finding his true calling in Rim Country; By Andy Towle; July 1, 2011; Bob Smolenski understands about life and dreams — and patience. That’s because like many other Rim Country residents, he worked his whole life, pursued three different careers and always put practicalities over passion — until he discovered his art. Now, the appraiser, broker and insurance salesman has returned to his first love — music.
Local business builds dreams that go with the grain: By Andy Towle; June 17, 2011; Randy and Karen Wood build dreams — mostly those involving wood. Their motto sums it up nicely: “If you can dream it, we can build it.” On one recent afternoon, Randy was at his desk in a custom-built, travel trailer showroom in Payson, working on a drawing of kitchen cabinets for a new project and Karen was inviting people to tour their display. The trailer had a Murphy bed, a desk, new cabinets everywhere and a partially bare wall to show what the interior looked like before the conversion. Randy chatted about his work and how they came to convert this travel trailer into a showroom.
Expressions in Porcelain: By Andy Towle; April 29, 2011; Being a photographer has hidden perks. Oh, not what you are thinking.
A hat for every skill: By Andy Towle; March 25, 2011; Some people wear many different faces, or to phrase it in another way, they wear many different hats, according to the task at hand.
Stepping into history: From the past to the present and into the future; By Andy Towle; March 22, 2011; I like adventurous assignments. Every assignment is an adventure, some, more than others. Going to a place you’ve always wanted to go but never had the time or opportunity for, is an especially wonderful activity when it becomes real. The Roosevelt Dam Centennial filled the bill.

Full story list

Recent photos

Dacey Taylor (foreground) and a group of town workers, cut, rake and load old cattails, weeds and small brush into trucks in an effort to clean up the large lake at Green Valley Park.

C.J. Nottingham makes a great effort in the Horns’ 78-49 loss to Fountain Hills Jan. 31

Payson High School physics teacher Andrew Fiala shows students Tuesday how to safely walk across a slackline. Fiala says slacklining helps demonstrate concepts of torque and rotational motion as students attempt to maintain a consistent center of gravity. Unlike a tightrope, a slackline is less taut, making it more dynamic and bouncing. Each student made two attempts across the nylon webbing; some picked it up quickly while others needed a hand for support.