The Joy of Painting
Throughout my childhood I was intrigue, and admittedly, jealous of my older brother's ability to draw. I can remember just sitting next to him and watching; wishing I could do something just half as good and with such ease. How could he take an ink pen and, using just dots, create a shadowy image that was so easily recognizable? Then and now, it amazes me! My only sibling, Ken, is five years older than I. Through the years we did our fair share of the classic and memorable sibling rivalries. Yet, no matter what the circumstances or consequences, my priority for as long as I can remember, was to please my big brother. When I was about 14 he enlisted in the Army. By this time in life we had become not as much rivals and more friends. So much so, that he left me in charge of his record collection when he went away to boot camp. This was big! I certainly missed my brother, but I sure did enjoy having free reign over his beloved music collection! One of my favorites was, and still is, Leon Russell…unique.
For some reason, during Ken’s initial absence, I got the notion that I wanted to try oil painting. Dad had an old wooden box that he had made which was full of some of his old oil paint tubes and brushes. He gave me the low down on how to clean the brushes, the importance of doing it right and a little on mixing the colors. I didn't know how I was going to do it but I knew I wanted to paint Leon! I sat down at our kitchen table with my newfound collection of art supplies and I gave it my best shot. I don't remember how long it took me to get through my first painting. But what I do remember is that throughout my efforts I wondered what Ken would think of my creation. It was not long after I finished it that he came home on leave from the Army and I proudly showed him my finished work. He seemed a little surprised but most importantly, he told me I had done well. What?!?! And so began my love of painting! While this photo isn't of my oil first oil painting, it is the same basic Leon that I later painted on the back of a t-shirt. The original is carefully packed away with the ones that soon followed…Bilbo Baggins the hobbit, Gandalf the wizard and a Led Zepplin album cover that was intended to someday become a clock.
Some things will never change. For even now, as I post a picture of a painting that I've done for someone, the most treasured compliment I can ever get is one from Ken.
…though unintentional, circumstances happened and this blog will fittingly debut on National Siblings Day 2015!!
