Unstoppable...Damn right I am!

     This is my latest piece, it's the next in my "East Coast Serenade" series. I call it Unstoppable.  I am so pleased with it and I'm so pleased with how things are going right now.  As I painted this, I couldn't help thinking about my life, the ups, the downs, and the words of an online pal of mine, the late, great Richard Howard, a couple years back.  We were chatting, and I was telling him about some of the struggles involved with life as an artist.  Unbeknownst to him, there were so many more struggles going on at that time, I was overweight and feeling like crap, we were in the middle of some weird revenge/stalking/blackmailing/hate campaign, and things just overall sucked bigtime. Things sucked so bad, I actually contemplated giving up the brush and getting, gasp, a traditional job!  You know things suck when I give a job even a moment's thought.  I don't know if he sensed my deeper struggle, but his words touched me and kept playing in my mind as I painted today.  He said, "your back will never bend."  What makes these words even more special is that when he said them to me, he was dying.  I had no idea, he never mentioned anything about being sick at all.  Can you imagine, a man that's dying taking his precious moments to comfort and encourage me?  A true gentleman indeed, and if' he's up there watching, I'm sure he's having a great chuckle at just how right he was.  The first toast I make in Barcelona will be to him.

​He WAS right.  I felt like I would bend, maybe even break, a few times, but that's the thing about life, as long as you keep moving, putting one foot in front of the other, you eventually come out the other side of the darkness.  The only way the naysayers, the haters, whoever, ever have a chance at winning is if you lay down your arms and give up.  That wasn't an option, not really.  Sure, in my weaker moments, I thought about it, but giving up has never been my forte, and I'm so thankful it's not!

​So here I am now and, as Richard said, my back didn't bend.  Those times are pretty much a distant memory that, in hindsight, have served to make me stronger.  I found a wonderful new home and a wonderfully supportive community in it.  I have to give a shout out to good old Cornwall, you can't find a city with nicer, more supportive people.  The second the word was out about my Barcelona show, I was contacted by the local newspaper, the Standard Freeholder and a reporter, Lois Ann Baker, came out and interviewed me.  The result was a wonderfully professional story, and she even made me look good in the picture!  Monday, I'm off to the local t.v. station for an on air interview.  I'm not sure when it will air, but as soon as I find out, you'll be the second to know.  I've been overwhelmed by the warmth and encouragement this little city has offered!  With all that in mind, I really do feel "Unstoppable".

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