Random Conversations

McCombs Mill McCormick County

As a painter, I often sought picturesque landscapes and interesting buildings to paint. One Sunday in the fall of 1972 I was working on a painting of Long Cane A.R.P. Church in McCormick County just about a quarter of a mile from the ruins of McCombs Mill. McCombs Mill had long been one of my "to do" paintings. The problem was the mill was in ruins and had no roof.(I wanted to paint the mill the way it was before falling into ruin.) But on this particular day I was creating another painting of Long Cane Church. I was alone and a soft breeze was rustling the newly fallen leaves. Yellow butterflies flew spastically seeking the nectar of autumn flowers. I was indeed enjoying my creative experience in solitude. The building is in Greek Revival style and very picturesque. The silence was broken by onlookers. As a plein air painter I long ago reconciled myself with the fact that onlookers were an occupational hazard. It normally doesn’t bother me except when they begin to tell me how to paint. This man and woman did not. Only an occasional “O-o-h !” and “A-h-h!”. They kept their conversation low and unobtrusive. I finally engaged them in conversation. They were from Lexington, South Carolina, and searching for relatives in the old church cemetery. I told them a bit of the history of the church and how my family had attended services there since the 1700s. I had almost asked them about their hometown of Lexington when they told me their surname was Cuttino. Remembering the grisly murder of thirteen-year-old “Peg” Cuttino, I thought I would steer the conversation clear of such subjects.  During our conversation Mr. Cuttino (I don’t remember his first name.) said that his grandmother was a watercolorist. As a painter you get used to someone always telling you that they

sketch by Tony Young

have a grandmother, aunt or some other relative that is an artist. However, Mr. Cuttino  said his grandmother had painted a picture of the mill, McComb’s Mill.  I could barely contain my excitement when I asked about the roof.  “Oh, it had  hip roof,”  he said.That made my day! I would finally be able to do that painting of McCombs Mill I had always wanted to paint!

Lower Long Cane Associated Reformed Presbyterian Church