My 93 year old father-in-law is frail. His balance is not so good and, truthfully, his memory ebbs and flows, yet it surprises me how he connects to the world in such a direct way. When he sits on a porch or looks out the window or when we drive him by Banks Channel sound or the ocean, he reads the sky, water, and air. He knows what will happen that day and he remembers what happened for decades before. Once he used that eyesight and hearing for hunting. Some time ago he flew missions in Africa, Europe, and India. He survived. He paid attention. He still pays attention.
Long ago our
ancestors could not afford to be inattentive.
Their survival counted on knowing who was friend or foe, on reading the
seasonal changes.
When I was a
child I used my senses to enjoy the smells, sounds, and feel of open windows,
to catch grasshoppers in the park near me, to watch neighbors pass by. I lost much of that as I grew into my middle
years. When I entered the creative life
of painting I discovered plein air painting, painting outdoors directly from
life. It’s a sensory experience. I rediscovered paying attention and it keeps
me connected to the world.
I absolutely Love my IPhone and other technical
gadgets. But they keep my head down, not head up, which is what you need to do
to pay attention. So in 2014 I resolve
to keep my head up and pay attention like Poppa Sheffield. Chin up!
While it’s
been frigid outside, here are a few of the things I’ve paid attention to inside:
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| Tick Tock When's Dinner? 12 x 12 oil on copper Available |
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| Bedtime 12 x 12 oil on copper. Available. This was Poppa Sheffield 's bed after WWII |
My paintings
are available at Cary Gallery of Artists 200 S. Academy St. in downtown Cary
Ashworth Village. 919-462-2035 Mon-Sat 11 am - 5:30 pm.
. . .And by contacting me at the following
links:
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