Meet Miss Margaret Cox

I took on this personal project of photographing what I see as "Beautiful Old Folks" because I wanted practice with my portrait photography and I believed these senior citizens were more approachable than high paid models.  What I've gotten in return is meeting some really cool people! Margaret Cox is a wealth of information on so many subjects.  Having worked as a librarian at UT for 35 years, she knows a lot about Austin and its history and its theatrical scene and so much more.

She was there in '66 when Charles Whitman climbed the UT tower and shot 43 people, thirteen who died.  She was getting ready to go to lunch when the excitement began. "There were about 15 of us on the patio of the Academic Center when we heard shots.  Somebody said 'Hey y'all. We better go inside." The siege went on for 90 minutes and she could see people hiding in the bushes as she waited it out.  "35 years there and I was always looking over my shoulder for trouble."  

I met Margaret at The Old Bakery and Emporium where she is  is a former Guild president and current member. The Guild is like a Board and it sells post cards, water and jellies to help pay for things at the Old Bakery.  As a crafter, she makes potholders in the shape of the state of Texas and kitty cat pillows which are sold at the Old Bakery.

Margaret posed for me with a portrait of herself as a child.

She worked with her friend who was a director at the Austin City Theater and Zach Scott.  "It was great it was like a big family.  I worked in Box Office, costumes, backgrounds.  I worked with them for 25 years. "

Margaret is a published writer as well.  As a member of the "Folklore Club" she wrote a story about her grandmother and I got to hear a little of it.  She even recommended me the book I am currently reading, "Indelible Austin," by Michael Barnes.

Margaret is quite a woman, still maintaining her home while volunteering, crafting and participating in Austin life.  While I was there she got a call from the theater and offered them some valuable memorabilia.  It is such a joy for me to get to know fine folks like Margaret.

You never know what you are going to get from a day of photography. I am blessed to get to meet some extraordinary people because I want to capture their inner beauty.

Thanks for reading and following my photographic journey!