"Typically, my antennas are up all the time," he said. "When I'm traveling, quite often I'll just look in the phone book and see where the junk shops are, and if I have any time, I'll try to scout them out."

"It's gotten to the point now," said Marjorie, "that several of the kids will come home and tell him about some fantastic item they saw in the trash somewhere and they'll all go out and get it."

As McEntire's art is primarily conceptual — one has to really spend time with it and consider its meanings — it is often difficult to find buyers. To make ends meet, and to continue his art, McEntire worked for the LDS Church for 25 years. He did his art at night and on weekends, whenever an opportunity arose, but never at the expense of his family. In fact, his children were often his studio assistants.

"I'm a hard-scrabble, economic-dependent person," he said, "who lives on the edge of Kearns and Taylorsville in the middle of the valley in a modest home. I drive old cars. But what that does is give me the freedom to buy materials when I see something that's really important."

In Allen Bishop's recent online review of McEntire's "Small Acts of Devotion" (at David Ericson Fine Art), McEntire stated that his task was to assist the objects he'd collected in "regaining their spiritual voice, and in unexpected recombinations, allow them to speak again — to stimulate, to challenge and to renew."

Not only is McEntire an accomplished artist, he's also an excellent curator, art critic/columnist and arts administrator. "Frank's a very good writer," Abersold said, "I wish he'd do more of it."

Edwards agrees, adding that McEntire's curatorial skills are without parallel. "And the other part about him that's amazing is he's a very good arts administrator, which is the oddest thing of all."

In 2003, McEntire was appointed executive director of the Utah Arts Council. He served faithfully and effectively for two years. When Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. took office, McEntire, along with 32 others from the Department of Community and Economic Development, were rather brusquely shown the door.

"Being removed from the Arts Council was just a new chapter for Frank," Marjorie said. "It was a surprise, but I think he handled it well. Frank has very Buddhist tendencies. He was able to let it go and move on to the next step."

His dismissal actually gave McEntire more time for his art. He'd look for work in the morning and spend afternoons in his studio.

Recently he went back to work for the LDS Church, assisting in their philanthropy department. "I'm very excited about it. It's a good cause — good cause, good people trying to help the world be a better place."

It's ironic; this is what McEntire has tried to do with his art from the first moment his tiny Texas hand picked up a piece of somebody's junk. The young boy who constructed a memorial to his grandfather was a good boy who became a good man — a man moved to share his art, encouraging viewers to consider and improve the political, environmental and spiritual needs of mankind.

Perhaps Edwards said it best: "I think Frank's a really important artist, and, of course, he's a wonderful human being, which is probably more important than being an important artist. I really admire Frank."

To read and see more on Frank McEntire and his art, visit the artist's Web site: www.frankmcentire.com

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E-mail: gag@desnews.com