Carl Clapp paints cotton plants only. Photo Credit: Sam Lowe

CASA GRANDE —  Carl Clapp’s life and his art both revolve around cotton. He majored in art education in college and planned to teach but he shifted direction when his father-in-law urged him to get into cotton farming. So he combined both careers. He farmed during the day and painted at night.

But there’s something unusual about his art — he paints cotton and only cotton. His acrylics depict the different stages of the cotton plant, from the time it blooms until the pods open to reveal the white fluffiness inside. Also, he doesn’t show in galleries. Instead, he sells through chemical, seed and agricultural companies. This reduces advertising costs and overhead.

Clapp has retired from farming, but his paint brushes are still active. For more information, call 520-836-2659.