"Keeping Watch"

9 x 12

I have a show opening at the end of July at the ArtPort Gallery at the Tallahassee Regional Airport. It is a great space that the Cultural Affair Commission has to promote art in Tallahassee. I applied last year for a solo show and they selected me. The work will be up from July until the end of September. I've displayed in the space before with another artist, but this time its just me. That's a big thing in the art world. There is a definite distinction between a solo show and a group show. So I consider it an honor.

Anyway, I had planned all along to do something with the theme of vanishing Florida landscape, but I decided recently to combine all of my St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge stuff together and exhibit those works. I'm trying to come up with a title. Right now I'm thinking . . . Impressions of the Refuge, Refuge in Color, A Refuge from __?___, St. Marks in Color, etc. If you have any good ideas let me know. The pieces are mostly big. I mean by that four 48 x 48s and one 48 x 60. I think this will look good because the space is big and is right on the corner of the main thoroughfare. So, here's your chance to name the show.

The painting above is of the St. Marks Lighthouse. It is on the refuge and sits next to a large live oak tree that makes it difficult to paint. Something about lighthouses though, people love them. Reminds me of the story my old preacher, Peter Lord, used to tell. (This is my version. He does it better.) The aircraft carrier was the largest and most deadly ship on the ocean. It was three football fields long. It had a nuclear engine. It was heading to port in the dead of night at full speed. As it approached it noticed the lights of another ship heading directly towards it. The captain called the messenger and and he signaled to the approaching ship this message: "This is the aircraft carrier approaching, change your course." The reply from the approaching light was "we will not change our course". The captain sent another message. "This is the aircraft carrier. We are the largest ship in the ocean. Change your course." The same reply was received. "We will not change our course." The captain yelled his response to the signaler. "This is the aircraft carrier change your course or we will be forced to run over you." The reply: "This is the lighthouse. We suggest you change your course." I don't know what this has to do with this painting, or remember the point in his message, but I like the story.

Thanks for looking.