▁especially ▁on ▁his ▁scenes ▁with ▁houses . ▁The ▁locations ▁include ▁the ▁streets ▁and ▁neighborhood s ▁of ▁Spring field , ▁Ohio , ▁which ▁he ▁sometimes ▁sketch ed ▁during ▁his ▁first ▁two ▁college ▁years ▁and ▁revis ited ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁taking ▁photograph s ▁and ▁sketch ing ▁alle ys ▁and ▁streets ▁at ▁tw il ight . ▁He ▁returned ▁over ▁the ▁next ▁twenty ▁years ▁to ▁continue ▁sketch ing . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁K ip n iss ▁described ▁how ▁this ▁location ▁influenced ▁his ▁art istic ▁development : ▁" ‘ The ▁elements ▁that ▁remain ▁a ▁large ▁part ▁of ▁my ▁imag ery ▁all ▁my ▁working ▁life ▁began ▁to ▁emer ge ▁in ▁these ▁sketch es : ▁myster ious ▁window less ▁houses , ▁back yard ▁f ences , ▁trees ▁le a fl ess ▁in ▁the ▁off - season . ▁. ▁. ▁. ▁My ▁work ▁remains ▁un pop ulated ▁because ▁I ▁can ▁then ▁become ▁as ▁if ▁the ▁l one ▁inhab it ant , ▁and ▁when ▁the ▁work ▁leaves ▁my ▁hands , ▁who ▁stands ▁before ▁it ▁becomes ▁for ▁a ▁moment ▁me , ▁alone , ▁there .’ " ▁ ▁Other ▁locations ▁that ▁inspired ▁K ip n iss ▁were ▁alle ys ▁in ▁Columb us , ▁Ohio , ▁which ▁he ▁sketch ed ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁he ▁briefly ▁visited ▁Els ah , ▁Illinois , ▁a ▁small ▁town ▁on ▁the ▁Missouri ▁River ▁( since ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁on ▁the ▁National ▁Register ▁of ▁Historic ▁Places ) ▁where ▁the ▁narrow ▁streets ▁and