Meadow Flowers

This picture took me forever to paint. It looks so realistic that I put Water Color painting on it to slow people down to actually see the work I put into it. It is a 12X 16" painting matted in a 20 by 16 inch mat. I have enjoyed painting more flowers lately. I am thinking about doing some paintings for the children of the casualties so they can know their fathers when they grow up. There are two of them. We will see.

Spring time flowers.

Spring is a beautiful time of year. Here are some flowers I have been painting. I just love the colors of the spring time flowers. The original photographs of the flowers comes from Emily Hansen. She is one of the mothers of the boys that died in 2010. please remember her and the other families as we pause on memorial day this year.

Legacy Trust Contest. Results

What did I do after the Legacy prize contest? Of course I went fishing. It is difficult to wait for the results of the contest but finally they were announced. I am one of the winners again in the Contest. I am the only returning artist from last year. It feels good. I even painted a picture for one of the other people on the fishing trip, which felt good. Now on to all the hype of the Art Prize.

Legacy Trust Contest.

Well this is what Legacy Trust Set up ended up looking like. I think I did well. I am exhausted. I should know be Tues if I go farther.

I can't believe that none of these pictures were good enough for the Grand Rapids Art Festival. I swear there are some political things in the art world that I DO NOT Understand. As money gets tight a smaller group of the same people seem to get into the art shows. Oh well they lose for now. Legacy Prize come on Thurs and Friday of this week and I hope I do good there.

Spc Shane Hasan Ahmed

Spc Shane Hasan Ahmed

From: Chesterfield, Michigan
Age: 31
Unit: Company A, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division
Died: November 14, 2010

From: Chesterfield, Michigan
Age: 31
Unit: Company A, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division
Died: November 14, 2010

Well these are all the young men who died from Michigan in 2011, in Afghanistan and Iraq. My stress is way high and I am doing my best to stay focused. I do not know why this is so hard this time but it is.

spc Joseph Thomas Prentler

spc Joseph Thomas Prentler

From: Fenwick, Michigan
Age: 20
Unit: G Troop, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment
Died: October 4, 2010

Fatal incident occurred in Mama Kariz, Afghanistan Died of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his military vehicle using a roadside bomb in Mama Kariz in the Maywand district of Kandahar province, Afghanistan, on October 4, 2010 Legacy Trust Competition will be open to the public for Voting from 11:30am to 5:30pm on May 20th. I know this is very inconvenient for most of you to come in and vote but that's the name of the game. It will be at the Grand Rapids Civic Theater in Grand Rapids, Mi. Hope to see some of you there. I should be there the whole time.

Cpl. Paul James Miller

Cpl. Paul James Miller

From: Traverse City, Michigan
Age: 22
Unit: 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force
Died: July 19, 2010

Fatal incident occurred in Helmand province, Afghanistan
Died following an roadside bomb attack in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on July 19, 2010

Legacy prize dates are: May 19 and 20 at the Grand Rapids Civic Theater. I almost missed the dead line for entry which was today. A friend of mine told me to call and make sure the information was in. When I did I found out that it was not in and probable lost in the mail as the VSA had recently moved. Although I was in an investment class all day I did get to the new office and filled in the papers. I must be distracted as I did the same thing with the Mary Freebed show. I did win a Guild Purchase Award. It gave me enough money to get the frames for this project. Still working on a wing and a prayer.

cpl Anthony Aitilio Dilisio

cpl Anthony Aitilio Dilisio

From: Macomb, Michigan
Age: 20
Unit: 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force
Died: May 30, 2010

Fatal incident occurred in Helmand province , Afghanistan
Died while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on May 30, 2010

The Legacy Prize contest is coming up soon. Dates on that are May 19-20. I have already got the registration done. I put all the men on facebook today.

Sgt Michael Keith Ingram Jr.

Sgt Michael Keith Ingram Jr.

From: Monroe, Michigan
Age: 23
Unit: Company C, 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
Died: April 17, 2010

Fatal incident occurred in Kandahar, Afghanistan
Died of wounds suffered when a roadside bomb detonated near his dismounted patrol in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Michael was known for his smile. His step-mom thought he would be a good model with a smile like this. I agree.

Sqt Dillon Black Foxx

From: Traverse City, Michigan
Age: 22
Unit: Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division
Died: February 5, 2010

Sqt Dillon Black Foxx

Fatal incident occurred in Bala Murghab, Afghanistan Died of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with a roadside bomb in Bala Murghab, Badghis province, Afghanistan, on February 5, 2010 I am learning a lot about each one of these men and sometimes the sadness is overwhelming.