Anniversary...a Touchstone of Recovery


15 yrs without mindaltering substances today...thankful for life today and all the people in it, even those with which I don't see eye to eye...only though a program of Recovery has it been possible.

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What Has Worked;

The First Structure in Nelson County of European Settlers

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 I asked this local resident just what that old wooden structure was standing over yonder near some parked cars, she informed me that the wooden stack was the earliest home for Nelson County Residents back in the times when this county was established.   I couldn't believe it, you mean it was of that kind of historical value and it was simply a stand alone building in the backyard of one of Schuyler's residents with no markings of its significant value?   I had to paint it.   So I snapped a photo of it and took it home, then got to work.   Its simply the size of a small compact car only made of weathered wood.      To paint it took little time due to its small size.   I believe I will paint it again due to the feeling that it is owed some more attention that I have given it.   I also cropped some of the building off so I want to include that part in the next painting.
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The Holland Farm Chicken House in Arrington Va.

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    This piece of land has more to be explored from what I have been able to discern from the local neighbors.   I've only photographed what I can see from Arrington Road nearby where the Locken Music Festival is held in the summer.   There are three buildings I have been able to study so far with more that are out of sight.   I am interested due to the age of some of these abandoned farm buildings.   I was told that this one is a 'chicken house' for the Holland farm.   Its not in operation anymore but it must have held a good number of the foul in its heyday.   This is an oil.  I use a 30/30/30 medium with sunthickened linseed oil going by the name Stand oil.   Its small, only 14 inches by 26 inches in size with a popular wood lattice frame slapped on it.  
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Greenberry's Coffee Shop

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A coffee shop is usually a spot where one can find the pulse of the city. It is that way with this coffee shop "Greenberry's" that I have painted. It has been in existence a very long time. Its a simple spot, one that serves a few pastries and a number of coffees' as any coffee shop would. It is also where many of the University's students hang their hats. And many of my own friends have as well over the many years. I wanted to remember it with some paint and doing so it took some painstaking time and attention to detail in order to make it 'right with my sight'. I think I got it even with some of the flaws in color not being an exact match to those of the shopping center's paneling on its buildings. I hope you can get over that issue for the sake of showing what one of this town's meeting places appears as in the city scenery of Barracks Road. This is a small canvas, however it is a wide or long canvas. I used mostly sun thicke...
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Drawing from the Subconscious: My Ego Spoke

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I often enjoy live theater, at least this was the case when I lived in Philadelphia and also somewhat here in Central Virginia (Charlottesville,Va.) my theater attendance has been infrequent but I did go. I sat in many an audience during a live performance of said playwrite watching actors unfolding a tale. From stories teaching us a meaning to simply absurd situations unfolding before us I was their sitting taking it all in. But this year was somewhat of a different slant on written plays, I was in one as an actor. It was a small bit part but none the less I was onstage. I really enjoyed it. I saw it as a completion of my reading drama/comedy to seeing it performed and now being in it. The circle was now complete for my enjoyment of drama/comedy. And this moment showed up in my drawing from my imagination this spring. When I drew this drawing I didn't know where it came from but I could picture this man on stage having his ego stroked by an appreciative audien...
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Concepts; Draw, Draw, Draw

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Another day worth living and appreciating all those who continue to make it possible for me to be free and enjoy my life in all it's expressions. Much is done in my life as an artist and I often hear artist relate to the fact that there ability could thrive as it does without a good basis in drawing. And so I have taken on drawing as all so important part of my life working in art, as well as the business end which is often overlooked; I work with my gallery in taking on work that allows them to steer me in one direction or another. Because today I can put faith in another's outside point of view and take it for what it's worth...either taking it up or not, it's still helpful to listen to it and then decide if it's doable or not. But often ideas of mine stem from my idle drawings which come from deep within. It's all good, I enjoy myself whether I'm working on someone else's ideas or some of my own. I put as much quality as I can into either ...
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