Frank Ortega

Frank Ortega has spent decades pumping septic tanks, a job he's been doing since he moved to the trailer park outside Bakersfield. His days are filled with grime and hard work, but in the quiet hours, Frank carves intricate animals from soap bars — his secret acts of beauty. He's lived his whole life in the shadow of ranches and orchards, where white, blue, or black smoke on the horizon can mean a lazy bonfire or devastating danger.