What is your name?

My legal name is Laurie Doherty-Fawthrop, because its so hard to get the Irish and English together on the same line. I use Laurie Doherty.  When I married for the very last time, I just added his last name. Before he died, he asked me not to drop it for at least a year that was 10 years ago. He knew how hard it was to get it all written and pronounced correctly.

What do your friends call you?

Laurie

How old are you?

63 until Sept. 1, then 64

Where do you live?

Pendleton, Oregon

Where did you go to school?

I went to nine grade schools and three high schools. Most of them were in western Colorado and eastern Utah. Unlike Loretta Lynn, I was a uranium miners daughter.

What do you do?

 I am self-employed cartoonist/artist but as I tell my cartoon students. Keep your day job. Subsequently, I am a Jill of Many Trades and a master of ? I guess it depends on who you ask.

I have a new website, www.lauriescartoons.net, which tells he history of how and why I started window painting, the lessons I learned from the University of Hard Knocks, the history of window painting in Pendleton in general and lots more. I am featuring caricatures of recognizable people in town. There will be a new one each Monday. It will be a contest of sorts and you can win a discount on a caricature of your own.

What’s the best thing about your work?

I meet new people when I am painting windows. I love to try to figure out what makes a person really tick, or better yet what makes their heart sing.

Who is the historical figure you most admire?

Susan B. Anthony, and the many women she surrounded herself with.

The living person you most admire?

My aunt Jean Pace

What is your proudest accomplishment?

I have a couple: The first would be my three sons who despite their mother, they grew up to be wonderful assets to their communities. Secondly, this will be 41st year in a row that Ive painted windows for the Pendleton Round-Up and it has been real challenge at times, but I have learned so much and met so many wonderful people.

What is the most difficult challenge in your life these days?

Well, I have a couple of cracked ribs from a recent car accident and as I mentioned it will soon be time to paint start window painting again.

What do you like to do in your free time?

Walk the River Walk, draw and paint butterflies, as of this moment.

What type of electronic equipment do you carry around with you?

I had a cellphone 17 years ago, when they looked like shoe boxes. Three weeks ago I moved up to a smart phone and I love it.

If you had to live in another country for a year, where would you go?

Mexico: Ive been trying to teach myself Spanish for 6-plus years. Maybe then I would be able to truthfully say Hablo Español.

 

If you could change one thing in your community, what would that be?

More action and money input into revitalizing downtown Pendleton. Weve got wonderful and valuable treasure here, within a great community. We all need to work together to get it viable again.

What is at the top of your bucket list?

Jumping out of airplane with a parachute, of course.

What is your favorite beverage?

Rich cup of hot chocolate preferably on a cooler day.

Tell us about the best book you’ve read lately.

Since Ive bought a Kindle a year ago I have read so many really good mysteries, one doesnt just pop out as the best.

Your most prized possession?

My ability to paint and draw and of course, great friends, family and a great grandson.

What’s the funniest thing that ever happened to you?

Thats kind of hard to answer, there has been so many, especially around my kids and grandkids. Just a couple days of ago, my 6-year-old grandson came to visit. I had lost a lot of weight recently and he was leaning up against me while we were talking and he felt the loose skin hanging from my arms and he said: My, Grandma, you sure do have fluffy arms. My friends and I have had many good laughs about a nice description for an ailment many of us suffer from.

What is your guiltiest pleasure?

Just doing drawing for me and not for anybody else. I seldom let myself do that.

What’s the one question we didn’t ask that you’d like to answer?

What can we do for you right this minute to help you? My standard answer to my friends and family is Give me $1 million in small, unmarked bills. But to keep up with the times and our monetary woes, a billion would be more helpful, but still small and unmarked.

Sunday Q&A is a weekly feature. We believe that variety is the spice of life, and are always on the lookout for Eastern Oregonians to participate. If you’d like to volunteer, or if you have someone else in mind, e-mail Kathryn B. Brown at kbbrown@eastoregonian.com, write to her at 211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton, OR 97801, or call 541-278-2667.