Somewhere Else

I was taking a short walk tonight for some exercise and when I first came outside it was a bit windy.  Something about it felt like the ocean to me even though it is a back road and far from the ocean.  Like a whiff of lilacs or Grandmom’s rosewater from childhood, windy sensations of the beach hold special, safe and good memories for me.When I was going through my many difficulties last summer and into January of this year...

Artists, Existential Dread and Coronapocalypse

So.You are watching some of your favorite great films during all this, right?Reading a good book or classic poetry?Comforted by some artwork on your wall, long ago bought at an arts festival?Listening to some classic rock? Your favorite comedian? Historically many artists are often viewed as starving and thus by implication, non-workers. Non-contributors – financially – to society.  Because, everyone knows that money and wealth accumulation is what makes us human, right?  The horrible irony in all this is the societal...

I Don’t Know How to Eat This Apple

I tend to be someone who notices and contemplates ironies in situations. For a long time we have known how social media sometimes isolates people from real life relationships and contact. But now that we need to isolate ourselves physically, social media may be one of the greatest tools to help our communities and nation and world survive things like this on all different levels. The ease by which information is shared and we can check on others is amazing....

More Sobering Thoughts Should Our Liquor Stores Run Dry

I know I just wrote some thoughts today about our food supply – and then, I picked one of my Spotify playlists to put on and try to get some artwork done. For some reason I selected my “Melancholy” playlist created several years ago and one of my favorite Harry Chapin songs came on, “A Better Place To Be” and…well…here I am writing again. It is easy to poeticize the isolated alcoholic in songs such as Harry Chapin’s “A Better Place To...

Relief From That Which Presses Us

Last night I was chatting with a friend asking for prayer – someone I go way way back with to the earliest days of my young faith in college.  She shared a verse that came to mind to pray for me:  Exodus 14:14     “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”I was pretty sure this came from the part in Exodus before the crossing of the Red Sea, which she confirmed.  I must confess I don’t always methodically read Scripture...

Growing Old With Oneself

Back in 2007 I remember driving back to Newark through the Lancaster-ish areas, down Route 896 from I can’t recall where exactly….I was coming back on an early Saturday evening from a long caricature gig for a company picnic somewhere out in Amish country.  As I was driving home I noticed a huge garden with rows of beautiful sunflowers and I turned around to park and take photos for painting references.As I approached the flowers – which were somewhat near...

When Your Friends Go Through Deep Loss and Tragedy

When our friends go through any type of deep loss or tragedy, whether a divorce, death, or any other type of situation or difficulty, it is our nature to want their pain to simply stop. It is our nature to even feel uncomfortable with whatever they need in the moment, whether to retell yet another time some part of their story and what they’ve been through, or whatever it is they need in the moment. Divorce is a death. And...

Reflections on the Finalization of My Second Divorce

I came home earlier today from a funeral at church for a dear lady. About the time I walked in the door I learned that my former husband had received final divorce decree via email today and had expressed his feelings on Facebook, in part perhaps to share a song with me, as part of his expression indicated. So I feel I want to express my sadness as well. Most know that my former husband and I are very different...

Grant and Cody – A Boy and His Dog

“Eileen: I want to take a minute to let you know how much I absolutely love the portrait you did for my retirement for John Gardner! You totally captured my son and dog. This lovely picture as already found a home on the wall in our dining room and every time I walk by, it warms my heart. It truly is a perfect gift. I’ve enjoyed checking out your website and have shared it with my family and friends. You...