Billy Tripp

[7] Filled with symbols reflecting on his past and contemplations on life and death,[8] The Mindfield has steadily grown over the last three decades, and Tripp will continue to expand it until he is no longer physically able.

[10] After graduating high school, Billy moved to Knoxville to find work, and then returned to Brownsville shortly after.

[11] He attended welding trade school for six weeks, just long enough to complete the mandatory safety training, before making the decision to teach himself.

[15] He was interviewed by local papers such as The States Graphic and The Jackson Sun,[16][17] and covered by Nashville channel 4 news.

[6] Billy's life and work is documented in the feature length film The Steel Garden, which had a premiere in Brownsville, Tennessee in February 2024 and was released online via YouTube the following month.

[25][4] Both the water tower and the tallest point in The Mindfield (which he refers to as his father’s grave marker)[26] are dedicated to his parents.

[8] Tripp’s self-published series of books, The Mindfield Years, is an essential companion piece to the sculpture, important to understanding its meaning.

3 is transcribed journals written during the early years of The Mindfield’s construction and documents his daily work on the sculpture.

4 is transcribed journals from the period when Tripp was mourning the loss of his father and erecting the “Deena” water tower.