In his photographic compositions where nothing seems out of place, like a perfectly proportioned painting, Sullivan manages to capture images that evoke not only historical truths of the West Texas past but the impact of modern Texas dynamics as well. Some photographs depict longhorns in scenes that could have been made over two centuries ago, alongside others of herding by helicopter, and all carry a feeling of being absolutely authentic, which they are.

“I would never re-touch a photograph,” he says, and carries the same sense of respect to the subject of Texas longhorn cattle, a favorite subject in his photographs. He and his wife Debbie are committed to maintaining the pure bloodlines of the authentic strain of longhorns and are active members of the Cattlemen’s Texas Longhorn Registry.

“The longhorn saved Texas back before and after the Civil War,” he said. “They were part of the natural landscape, immune to most diseases, with the toughness and built-in resilience to withstand long trail drives to the market. They deserve every effort we can make to maintain the purity of their bloodline.”

That’s why the longhorn continues to be a favorite target for his camera.

“We want people to see these cattle,” he says. “They’re a key part of our Texas heritage.”

Unlike many other artists, Sullivan kept busy with his oil field work and paid little attention to the notion of creating art in photographs until he was at least thirty. He is self-taught and explains that “It’s a matter of putting yourself where something is happening.” His favorite time is early morning, when it seems nature is just beginning to greet the day and the world seems open to possibilities. He has always been drawn to nature for his photographs, not people, and his portfolio shows a remarkable collection of creatures from Monarch butterflies to wild animals. Just recently, he has become interested in birds.

“When I was young, I probably would have shot any bird within distance,” he sighed, shaking his head. “But now, watching them for the special thing they are, I could never shoot one with anything but my camera.”

He is a one-camera man and keeps his art a simple matter. In fact, he has never sold a photograph. It was Debbie’s enthusiasm for his work that saw his photos entered in the 30th annual fall juried art exhibition of the Midland Arts Association at Midland College, where he was among the winners. There his work caught the eye of Larry Haggard, whose family has  endowed the art gallery in the new Martin County Library, and who was looking for an artist to feature in its first exhibition.

“His photographs stop you in your tracks. They make everyday West Texas scenes a work of art, and we’re lucky to find a local artist of his caliber for our grand opening,” Haggard said.

The Sullivans have two sons, both of whom seem to have soaked up some of Dad’s talent. Brady is a University of Texas graduate in fine arts, and Clay, an undergraduate at Texas Tech, is already learning his way around a camera.

The Martin County Library plans a “grand opening” reception today from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in downtown Stanton. The public is invited to tour the new building located at the intersection of St. Anna and St. Mary streets and meet the artist, as well as County Librarian Kaye Smith and other officials who actively participated in establishing the new library. Regular library hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.