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Friday, June 6, 2014

THE PAINTING


THE PAINTING*

I thought my dad could do anything.  He was a Chemical Engineer.  Only smart people are Chemical Engineers.  He was a math whiz.  During the Second World War, he stayed in the US working on some complicated war related project that only really smart people worked on. 

He had smart hobbies.   He grew vegetables hydroponically in a greenhouse when that process was mostly just in books.  He designed and built small racing sailboats that out performed others in the class and were unsinkable to boot.  He built radios.  He built electric light dimmers before they were commercially available at the hardware store.

Dad knew how to skin-dive and he could hold his breath for over two minutes even though he was a smoker.  He sailed, knew navigation, he had his pilot’s license and flew his own single engine plane.  Pop was a good bowler and golfer.  He played piano by ear, and could strum whatever chords on the banjo that were required for a sing-along.  I’m pretty sure my father could do anything he put his mind to doing.

 In the '50's, pop almost died from an infection of the heart.  During rehabilitation he took up painting.  I can remember some portrait sketches, but don’t remember if he ever finished them.  I think he only finished and framed (he made the frame himself of course) one painting.  It was of a hunter and his dog.  Funny thing was pop never hunted and we did not have a hunting dog.  He hated hunting.  He went squirrel hunting once with a friend and he could not bring himself to pull the trigger on the poor little creatures.

Anyway he did complete that one painting, and then he went on to another endeavor.  I think he may have tried the hobby for three months.  The painting was not great, it was never worthy of living room display, but somehow I found it, I liked it, and I saved it.  It hangs in my garage where I see it most every day.  It represents one of my father’s least successful endeavors.

Still, I think it is pretty good.  Maybe I’ll bring it into the living room for Father’s Day.         
I think he had potential

 
 
*Thanks to "Ginny in Boston" for the inspiration
 
 

13 comments:

  1. How awesome that you saved this. And personally I like it a lot. That's pretty damn good for someone who only completed one painting!!

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  2. Well that's a good thing.
    At least you weren't one of his least successful endeavors.

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  3. What a very nice post about your dad. He sounds like a great man who did some even greater things. I love the painting and you should bring it into the living room!

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  4. I think it's great. What a wonderful post this is in honor of your amazing father.

    Have a fabulous day. ☺

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  5. oh, i totally think it was a worthwhile pursuit for him! wish he had done more!

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  6. Yeah. Hang that painting.

    I'm amazed when ANYBODY paints. I'm pretty good with pencil sketches. Like, you would want to pick me for your Pictionary team. But when it comes to color, I just don't get it.

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  7. I'm sure I would like him. Especially the creature part. :-)

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  8. What a nice post about your Dad!

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  9. Made with his hands and a one of a kind outstanding piece of workmanship. Yep, he had plenty of potential. What a treasure for you.

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  10. It's a wonderful painting. Your dad certainly did have potential.

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  11. Sounds like he was an extraordinary man. And actually even his art wasn't too bad. Maybe you should try your hand? You might surprise yourselves.

    S

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  12. It would have been interesting if your dad had pushed his painting a bit more. One painting is harder to appreciate than a series, but it does look like he had certain skills.

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  13. I've noticed that the smartest people among us do not enjoy killing living creatures, so I'm not surprised at what you said about your dad. His picture is fairly good and I would bring it into the house as a respectful gesture in his memory.

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