A Work of Art: Raising Our Exceptional Son

Bubbles

2009-07-14T16:49:00.003-05:00

Achieving childhood goals for Jessie was a piece of cake. Untypically she was very fast in reaching them too: crawling around 6 months, walking at one year, reading before she reached kindergarten, and so on. Even her school teachers through the years have been impressed with how well and quickly she catches on to topics and ideas. It doesn't mean she's any smarter than her peers or we have some budding Einstein on our hands (spending an evening studying for a science or math test would nip that idea in the bud) but most likely has to do with her extreme determination and will to succeed.

Ben obviously has that same gene hidden amongst the non-typical ones in his body. The sheer fact that he's even alive is proof of that. Those who spend the most time around him see it and see it as vividly as one of the colors jumping off a painting of mine. There's a huge difference though between our children though in the way we perceive their achieved goals. We can tell you where we were, what we were doing, who we were with, and the exact age Jessie reached one them. With Ben it's almost like being in a laboratory at times - observing the specimen, charting whether the goal has been repeated, making sure the conditions are similar, and even recognizing if he acknowledges his accomplishment.

Many times we've missed that "first" opportunity to actually see him growing into the big boy he is becoming but this summer we've been able to catch a few of them. Today he blew bubbles.

Barbara, his speech therapist has been working with him since spring to shape his mouth just so, to put just enough pressure through his lips, and place his tongue in the right position with the end result of having soapy water become floating bubbles via a hole at the end of a plastic wand. Because I was on the phone today at that time I was able to see it twice. Nurse Stacey saw it three more times. You'd have thought he'd gotten straight "A"s on his most recent report card had you seen our faces in the van coming home.

So Ben can't hit a baseball or catch a football...yet. But we have bubbles!

Anthem of Love

2009-07-11T13:02:00.004-05:00

I need to thank my PKS sister, Gretchen Peters, for sharing a link with Facebook this morning. Before you go and visit this blogger understand that it is a homily written for tomorrow's service at an Anglican church. And before you decide to not visit let me challenge each of my readers to cast aside their own spiritual beliefs (or non-beliefs) for the moment. The message written by this Catholic deacon is a brilliant piece about how those of us living with exceptional loved ones should feel. The very sad fact is that many of us experience the opposite: isolation, loneliness, and abandonment and not just that occasional case of the blues. We know way too many families who find themselves emotionally and physically (completely) defeated by special needs living.

The author's revelation is simple: none of us were ever meant to walk this journey alone knowing how difficult our paths will be. This is particularly true for those of us parenting a special needs child or those who have a disability of their own. As he points out Love "does not exist in a vacuum."

Now go and visit the deacon's blog and be sure to watch the video. This is a story of triumph - story that bears repeating over and over again. You never know when one simple gesture (in this case 36,000 simple gestures) will change someone's life.

Capri Sun Sunrise Winner Announcement!

2009-07-10T11:01:00.000-05:00

I apologize for the weird sound delay once again. Me and Ben wanted to make this huge announcement via our HP Media gear but evidently I am still inept at this computer recording & uploading stuff. If anyone has suggestions then please let us know! We record then upload to YouTube and then this momentary delay occurs. Any ideas will be appreciated!

In the mean time, those at the BlogHer Conference 2009 will definitely miss out on the guys who could be the best entertainment available! Although my man Ben is a huge flirt, he's a gentleman at heart. Just between you and me he's definitely the best dancer. Also he's the only one I know who can actually get away with one of those "banana hammocks." Me? I prefer something a bit more modest...like clown pants?

The King of...Pain?

2009-07-08T18:07:00.005-05:00

Once again I interrupt my task of filling in the missing details of our happenings within the month of June. In fact I am embarrassed to actually admit that I’m going to actually blog about Michael Jackson’s untimely death. DON’T RUN AWAY JUST YET! If you’re like me then you are fed up with all of the media coverage surrounding the event which is bound to continue filling the airwaves for several more weeks but in all honesty I have some pretty serious thoughts and one big revelation. Thank God CNN didn’t exist when Elvis died.

Jackson’s death occurred the day I left for my ten-day trip to the coasts of South & North Carolina. Joan was actually texting me the news while I was loading in for the Harbor Fest. It was a strange experience delivering the news to vendors I barely knew that a pop icon we’d grown up with had suddenly and unexpectedly died. A sad thing but life goes on for the living who aren’t a part of the elite of society and who happen to be unloading a bunch of gear in stifling heat.

Almost two weeks have passed now and I’ve definitely developed some opinions about this news. For those that follow me on Facebook or Twitter you will probably be a little surprised. I have an incredible disdain for the media coverage Jackson’s death has provoked. While “The King of Pop” was a talented vocalist, dancer, and performer the truth is that he was at best a good musician and a decent songwriter. He donated a bunch of money to charity but he was no Desmond Tutu.

Because of MJ’s death, the focus upon our economic woes is nil. North Korea’s nukes are still an incredible worry. And we still have young people dying in Iraq, for God’s sake…yet many only shed a tear for “Whacko Jacko” dying from a self-induced drug overdose. Several times over the past week or so my head wanted to explode!

Yet, here is the sympathetic part: I sincerely feel sorry for the Jackson family. Why? This is the part of my life that I knew I would one day reveal – I was just waiting for the right moment. I’ve exchanged e-mails with my dear friend Maggie, trying to figure out when to expose this secret of my life.

Long story short Maggie has started this really wonderful site for female victims of physical & mental abuse called Violence Unsilenced. What she has done, along with other brave women, is nothing short of remarkable. In an e-mail I once told her that I would open up about my own past. Now is that time because I consider this another opportunity to come closer to my own healing. Many years ago I was sexually abused by a so-called “family friend.”

This was a secret I kept to myself for almost two decades; a long period of time to keep something like that to oneself. To be honest I never knew how much it affected my life until I finally sought counseling for some other personal issues – issues I naively thought were unrelated. For that, seeking counsel, I am extremely thankful. Had I not sought help back in 1992 I am certain my life would’ve continued to spiral out of control.

Flash forward to 2009. Whatever you think of Michael Jackson I encourage you to listen to the words of his daughter. Honestly my instinct has been to continue label him as a sexual predator. To be honest I have no idea if he was or wasn’t. We all know the stories, innuendos, and even the information admitted to on national TV. We’ve seen the awkward and strange behavior that made tabloids. No doubt that Michael was an extremely odd person. Yet his daughter Paris pleads to the world to believe the guy was a great father. I have no reason to not believe her either. No one forced that child to say anything yesterday. In fact I think really good child “actors” are few and far between. Most of us can easily sense when youngsters are stretching the truth – if she was then she was very, very good!

It is common knowledge now that Jackson’s dad physically and emotionally abused his kids. For that the world has the defunct Jackson 5, a famous wardrobe malfunction, and the recent death of The King of Pop. Joe Jackson is most likely a very rich man – wealthy with lots of greenbacks, property, and material things. In my honest opinion he also now has the blood of his second youngest son upon his hands. Yes, it was Michael’s responsibility to better himself as a man, a father, and human being in the eyes of the public but none of us will know the demons he might have lived with.

I’m hoping that MJ is finally at peace. I’m hoping he chose the path of forgiveness, particularly given that his father was the abuser. I’m also hoping that Joe Jackson will one day look into Paris’s (and the rest of her uncles) eyes and say, “I’m sorry.” That would go a long way toward that path of forgiveness.

Takin' Care of Business

2009-07-07T13:05:00.005-05:00

While I'm working on a longer blog entry to wrap up what were up to during the month of June, I wanted to let you know of two quick notes of interest for our readers, one that is unfinished business and the other letting you know where you can find find us on the 7th of every month (sometimes even more often than that particular date).

Tomorrow is the LAST day to submit an entry for our Capri Sun contest. One lucky reader will win a $250 Visa gift card! On Thursday I will randomly select the grand prize winner and a couple of other runner ups to receive artwork from me and Ben! You will need to visit our review blog to find out how to enter three different ways.

After you submit your entry check out our monthly blog post over at Hopeful Parents. Yeah, I know some of you will recognize it but after discussing things with Joan, we thought it an interesting enough tale worth repeating.

The Exchange

2009-06-30T17:46:00.006-05:00

I have no idea if the kid was an officer but he wore the dress shirt and billed cap filled with enough “scrambled eggs” that let me know he held a higher position than many of the other Russian sailors that passed by the booth. Most of them were extremely business-like, never smiling, only giving a quick nod to acknowledge a greeting. And they were kids! Many of them looked like they weren’t even shaving yet. This particular young man was different.

I had seen him interacting with the food vendor next to me. He seemed generally interested in why Nathan’s Hot Dogs were better than the others further up the pier. My neighbor Eddie struggled to explain how his dogs were all beef, larger, and grilled. It was quite obvious that most of the visiting seafarers aboard the Kruzenshtern knew very little English. So a little later an older man approached the Russian with some questions about his vessel and thus began “the exchange.”

To be honest it was a bit humorous. From his reaction the old man obviously thought the young Russian knew more English than first thought. Yet the conversation continued for several more minutes. Neither one was going to let the language barrier interfere with their dialogue. Eventually there were hand gestures, nods of agreement, and even smiles that let me know that both had finally reached a common language of non-words. After a few more moments they shook hands. The old man wanted to take the young man’s picture in front of his ship and like all the rest of his shipmates, he obliged by putting his shopping bags down, standing at attention with his hands grasped behind his back. There was no doubt how proud that young sailor was of his sailing vessel. Funny thing, I immediately thought of Ben.

Just like this scenario, there is a communication barrier between Ben and the rest of the world, a wall that separates many exceptional children from others. Unfortunately most people aren’t like the old man, determined to break through the language barrier only to find a deeper form of interaction. Oh but for those that have the patience the reward is great. Just like the young sailor you get one proud individual and in Ben’s case you also get one huge smile as well.

To view some wonderful pictures of the Tall Ships leaving Charleston yesterday go here. 13 of the 18 ships featured at Harborfest are now headed to Boston for the next leg of the race. Look for them on TV this weekend as they parade around Boston Harbor.

Flood, Sweat, and Cheers

2009-06-29T17:58:00.003-05:00

At the moment I'm in the camper riding out (another) late afternoon thunderstorm near Charleston, South Carolina. Although dry at the moment, it seems as if I've been soaking wet since I arrived Thursday either via one of these downpours or body sweat due to the high temperatures coupled with high humidity. Having spent a great deal of time down here during my life I find it quite fitting for an event called Harbor Fest.

I gotta admit that there have been moments the past few days when I've questioned my career choice and definitely my sanity. In the end the grueling work and harsh conditions were very much worth it. This was my chance to finally put my foot through the door of an area where I find great potential. When that door creaked open I kicked that sucker in!

Meaning to write a prequel let me say that this is the longest I will/have/am away from my family since I started selling my art full-time 5 years ago. When I return Sunday it'll have been 10 days since I've hugged Joan, stroked Jessie's long red hair, or puckered up to Ben's cute puffy cheeks. God, I miss them! But the sadness of separation has been tempered by the fact that this is now what I do for a living. And meeting sailors from around the world, many of them so surprisingly young, has made me appreciate the adventure I've embarked upon.

I won't bore you with details but at least let me summarize. Here's what has happened so far: setting up in the rain; seeing up close some of the tallest sailing vessels in the world; having dinner with a dear artist friend and laughing till we cried; enduring the absolute worst weather day since I started this - heat index of 110 with 80% humidity capped by closing my booth in a soaking rain - only to find I'd had by best single day of sales since last September; experiencing the most perfect day anyone could enjoy on the harbor; dolphins, pelicans, and Russians...oh my!; watching two stunt planes fly death defying maneuvers over us thereby increasing my "puckerabilty"; and realizing I had the best show of the year (so far).

Yes, I have pictures. And I also know that I owe our readers some fun photos of our vacation with the Peters. I promise to work on those very soon...like when I get back home...after my back and calves stop hurting. In the meantime, enjoy the above photo of The Spirit of South Carolina. She's the schooner that this past weekend's festival supports, one of many endeavors the Maritime Center supports while preserving South Carolina's rich maritime history. Hopefully tomorrow I'll get to report from somewhere near Southport, North Carolina.

One Cool Kid!

2009-06-22T09:54:00.004-05:00

One of the primary reasons I started this blog was to not only give folks a glimpse into the lives of exceptional families but also to change perceptions and attitudes toward individuals with special needs. While driving home from the beach Friday I heard this wonderful story listening to CNN. I highly encourage all of our readers to watch the story and then visit Jaylen Arnold's website.

Eight-year-old Jaylen is another one of those heroes who doesn't let his condition stop him from doing something positive for not only himself but other exceptional people. Jaylen truly is battling one of the things that frustrates parents of non-typical kids the most. Instead of anger he's using his personal story to educate others and thereby changing the perception some folks might have about Tourette's Syndrome.

So while I continue sifting through photos of our beach vacation head over to Jaylen's Challenge!

Crabs, Thunder, and Ornery Dolphins

2009-06-18T13:36:00.004-05:00

Just wanted to pop in and tell everyone we are indeed doing alright. In fact we're doing really well at the moment since we are still at the beach just south of Charleston, South Carolina. Like last year's family vacation our PKS friends from Michigan joined us for a week of fun and sun and just like last year we are having a blast. Unfortunately we wrap things up tomorrow and head back to Greenville where we will show the Peters family the town.

I forgot my connection cable for my camera to link to the laptop so pictures will be forthcoming. Last August when we were last here together I had prepared Jim & Gretchen for the oppressive heat the Carolinas can cook up that time of year. At the time I told them how June is the preferred time of the warm months to visit. Well we had an unusual cooler than normal week 10 months ago. So Mother Nature has seen to it that we paid for that. Temperatures have been in the 90s with high humidity meaning we've had some pretty intense afternoon thunderstorms the past few days. In fact our alarm this morning was a bolt of lightening hitting one of the palmetto trees nearby. For the most part the Peters have tolerated the weather, even sitting on the back porch during the worst of the storms hoping to catch a photo of lightening hitting the ocean.

Two funny things as I sign off for the day. We've had plenty of interaction with dolphins this week including watching them herd a school of fish yesterday afternoon. That was a rare sight since that usually occurs in much deeper waters. Early in the week I attempted to get a closer look at one of them, an obvious young pup. Mom quickly swam over to let me know that was right out. She got within about 6 feet of me, turned tale, and slapped the water with it drenching me in sea water. She actually did this three times. Yes, my friends I can say without a doubt that I've been flipped off by a dolphin.

But of course Gretchen endured the most embarrassing of our dealing with Kiawah Island's wild side. She was lying on her stomach sunning when Jim noticed a fiddler crab walking across a corner of her towel. When he moved toward it to get a better photo opportunity Mr. Crab chose the closest dark hiding place he could get to quickly: between Gert's legs. So our wonderful friend goes home with a fabulous tan and a case of the crabs. Gotta keep a close eye out when slap that tanning lotion on!

Still Vacating!

2009-06-07T09:28:00.003-05:00

Just wanted everyone to know we are safe and sound. Me, Jessie, and Ben have spent the past few days at the beach with my brothers and their families. Unfortunately most all good things must end so we will be hitting the road home in a little while. In the meantime you can find my latest blog entry here. While you're there check out the new look of the Hopeful Parents website! we have a new logo and even a picture scroll.

We hope you've had a great weekend. See you back here tomorrow!

Romancing Roanoke

2009-06-01T17:52:00.010-05:00

I have to admit: I am wiped out. Exhausted to the core. Even Ben's nurse, Miss Vicki, asked if I was okay when I walked in this afternoon to greet Ben following a five hour drive from Roanoke, Virginia. After a 3 hour nap I'm probably a little easier on the eyes to my fellow mankind for the moment. And guess what? I am thrilled that I am this tired.

The weekend in Roanoke was amazing! I ended the Spring run of shows in a very positive fashion. As long as the folks with the Taubman Museum will have me I will be there every first weekend of June. The weather was extremely kinder and more seasonably than last year's event so more folks were out and about to check out the 51st Sidewalk Art Festival. This was also the fist year that the museum was open for their signature event so needless to say all of the artists were treated very well. And the icing on the cake was getting to hang out all weekend with two incredibly talented artists: photographer Charlie Smith hosted myself and wood-craftsman, Brian Sykes.

Charlie once again graciously allowed me to crash at his place which truly saves a great deal on expenses. It's also a treat to spend time with someone you consider as a mentor. Honestly (and Charlie, I know you will read this but it has to be said) I think of him as the older brother I didn't have. He's definitely taught me more about life as a traveling artist than anyone else. He's also helped me refine my print-making technique. In fact this past weekend Charlie told me about new software and hardware that could very well improve my images. Of course Brian and I would readily admit that force-feeding wine to our host probably lead to my buddy's "openness" about technical information. Seriously, thanks again my dear friend!

And now it is on to summer. Me, Jessie, and Ben will pack up and head to Kiawah Island Wednesday for a little family reunion. Joan's work, as you can guess, will keep her from going but I know our kids are truly excited about seeing their cousins! I know I am. There are three weeks to recuperate and recharge the batteries and I'll finally get to spend some time painting with the salty air feeding my creativity.

Life isn't perfect at the moment but really it never is. It's one day at a time my friends...one day at a time. I have a post coming very soon (perhaps tomorrow) about a ministry that sells food at cost to families in need. We just picked up our first box and items look very good. We want to try a few things before trumpeting the organization but our outlook is very hopeful.

We'll be back soon. Love and peace to all our readers.

Attitude Adjustment

2009-05-27T12:48:00.010-05:00

If you've been following me along on Twitter or Facebook you'll already know that for the first time this year I didn't make expenses. My streak of profitable shows has ended as I knew it would at some point. That's just the nature of the work I choose to do. And since you are reading this blog you'll also know that we still disparately need for me to make a profit at my shows, particularly given the fact that I'll have three weekends off after the trip to Roanoke, Virginia later this week.

A little over a month ago this combination of information could've been cause for a major meltdown. Regardless of the lack of income bills are still showing up in the mailbox. The good news is that payday for Joan takes place in two more days so we can breathe a little easier. Despite knowing that the past few days have been just fine. In fact they've been more than fine; they've been outstanding! You see I've had a small epiphany recently - call it a dose of my own medicine.

A few weeks ago the ladies at BlogHer Backtalk asked me to do a short blurb about advice I'd give to a parent just beginning the jouney of exceptional parenting (hence my discovery of the little webcam thingy on Ben's computer). After watching the piece it dawned on me just how much I was ignoring my own words. In fact it was quite sobering.

The first photo is of our new little friend. Shelly is an Eastern Box Turtle which I rescued Monday morning on my way home. She was slowly making her way across Highway 76 in the northern Georgia mountains and was about to meet the fate that many female box turtles encounter this time of year as they return to their own birth home to lay eggs. For the record Shelly is a temporary guest - in fact after school Jessie and I will be sending her back into the wild this afternoon.

It has been interesting getting to know Shelly. Joan and I have always used opportunities like this to teach the kids about nature and the very cool critters that are our neighbors (including the giant black snake who has returned to live under our deck). Ironically it has been me to whom Shelly has had the most to say.

Getting me to slow down is like telling Jeff Gordan to hop in the Dupont Hendrick Pepsi Frito-Lay Quaker State National Guard Tylenol Chevrolet and turn a few laps at Daytona behind a horse and buggy. It very likely isn't going to happen. Just ask Joan who has watched me for 16 years get distracted by shiny objects, funny sounds, sharp objects, things that catch on fire, and those odd neighborly critters. But living with a child like Ben one has absolutely no choice but to slow things down if only to grasp the always changing situation at hand.

My new friend Shelly has very clearly reminded me of that advice I uploaded to BlogHer. Take things one day at a time - try to concentrate on the moment in front of you. Otherwise life becomes too overwhelming and you'll end up defeated before the green flag waves. I shouldn't think about next month's bills because June isn't here. I can't think about Ben's school therapy plan because the summer vacation hasn't even begun. Don't fret over some boy fawning over Jessie because I own several guns. The point is that I am at my all-time worst when I'm looking at the big picture too long.

Shelly's pretty cool with that advice because she's more worried about just getting across that road in one piece. Then it's time to figure out what's for dinner. After that maybe she'll think about where to close up shell for the night.

And after our reptile friend has moved on when I need some advice about slowing down I'll turn to my son for that encouragement. Even after almost a decade living with an exceptional son I always find it amazing how much I'm still learning from a kid whose vocabularly consists of about 2 dozen words.

PS: Lisa wins the "Name that Corn" contest! You'll have to drop by some time to pick up that print! Jess and Mikaela I need mailing addresses for you gals. E-mail me at benwaddell@bellsouth.net with the info. Because of traveling the next two weeks it may be the second week of June before I can get the notecards out to you. Thanks to everyone for all the votes and humorous entries!

Embracing My Folked Up Art Side

2009-05-20T17:29:00.008-05:00

There couldn't have been a better day all Spring than this one...not counting one of those fabulous days I sold tons of art. At the moment I'm gazing out my office window looking at a beautiful canvas of leaf green and sky blue. There are no clouds in the sky and I know from being outside quite a bit today that the temperature for this time of year is normal for us once again - somewhere in the lower 80s.

Jessie and I had a bunch of laughs when she got home from school. At the moment she's sound asleep - napping like pre-teens are supposed to do. When she is like that I can still see the "baby Jessie" in her.

Ben had an awesome day at school spending a whole hour in his new stander! Nurse Vickie said he smiled, kept his head up, talked, and generally shocked all the therapists at how well he tolerated it. When he got home he truly amused me by trying to tell me how powder Kool-Aid tastes. Do I not have two of the greatest kids?

Then I went to the grocery store and discovered a terrific sale on rib-eye steaks. Dear readers, do you know how long it's been since we could afford steak? Know that as I type this I am preparing a feast for my exhausted women folk.

Speaking of folk, I'm finally embracing that term for my artwork. I'd really like to be known as a "fine" artist but like most terms using "fine" means something quite boring. That I am not. So just to let you know that I have been working on my week off, I present to you some of my most recent finished pieces.

By the way, having had such a wonderful day at home one "downer" was that I did book my longest trip of the year today. I leave June 25th for Charleston, SC and won't return home until July 5th from the show in Southport, NC. The only good thing about it is that I'll have one of my new art friends, Kelly Morris, tent-camping with me part of the time. Which reminds me that my "art sister Christy" needs to send her application in soon so she can join us. Which also reminds me to tell Christy how much I'm writing on my paintings now.

"Catatonic" 24" x 30" acrylic on canvas
Perfect name.

"Fresh Air" 16" x 20" acrylic on panel
Mountain shows start this weekend!

"Funcky Chicken" 16" x 20" acrylic on canvas paper

The name says it all. 16" x 20" acrylic on canvas panel. Someone has already asked what the cow is smoking. All I have to say is that what happens in the pasture stays in the pasture...unless you're fertilizing a garden (it was meant to be a cigar).

"Joy in the Key of Life II"
Just to let you know I guarantee my paintings. If you hate it when you get home I'll make another. The only request is that you be honest with me!

On the Palette

2009-05-19T18:17:00.005-05:00

Phthalo Green: Wow! It's been like forever since I've written one of these posts! For those who are relatively new I use "the palette" in front of me at the moment and begin throwing some "colors" on the canvas. After it's all said and done you will have a good idea about what is basically happening at the moment in regards to the portrait of our family.

For the most part things are much better these days. Having several successful shows over the past month certainly has helped. Both Ben and Jessie are growing like weeds so the mood swings from melancholy to excitement based on the moment. Our babies aren't that any longer! They are both growing quickly into bright young people. Neither Joan or I could be prouder for what each of them has accomplished this past school year.

Our scariest thought is now haunting us: we not only have one but two offspring smarter than us.

Medium Magenta: One very cool thing that is taking shape in a way I had hoped. Several of my artist friends are trading information on a weekly basis about upcoming shows. Therefore we are making sure that we 1) apply for shows that at least some of us know have been successful in the past, 2) when we are accepted we can look for lodging situations which we can share, and 3) know we have someone always watching our back.

At the moment at least one or more of my friends will be applying or attending the remainder of the shows I have booked for the year. That's a very cool prospect!

Cerulean Blue: For some reason I'm having no problem coming up with painting ideas this year. Last year at this time I hated picking up a brush between weekends. This year I'm actually painting at the shows (I hear my friend Christy's evil laughter). Things are still rather iffy in regards to the economy but I'm truly having fun with my job again. I cannot pinpoint the reason but I think I find it a tremendous blessing to be able to still do what I'm doing.

I hope everyone is having a delightful week! Come back and visit soon!

More Corny Stuff

2009-05-18T16:36:00.004-05:00

I always say I have the most witty, clever, dark-humored bunch of readers in the Blogosphere. You guys not only rock but you really entertained the family over the last few days participating in our "Name That Corn" contest. The really difficult part came last night when we had to try and narrow the choices down to one. We couldn't do it. We barely managed to come up with three choices that we will now ask you wonderful SoulShiners to pick the winner from.

The overall winner gets a personally signed giclee' print of one of Ben & Bennie's paintings. The other two will receive a set of 4 notecards featuring our artwork. I will keep the poll up until a week from today when I will return from my next show in Blue Ridge, Georgia.

For the record, here were the other nominations either received in the comments, via Twitter, e-mail, or Facebook: Jimmy (the one who "cracked corn), General Cornwallis (this one barely missed as a finalist), Pelosi, Demetrius (comes from the Greek Goddess of Corn - someone must play way too much trivia), The Kernal, Sanders, Emperor Cornstantine, Cornucopia, The Cornspiracy, The Toe of Dreams (personal favorite but I just can't imagine building a baseball field in that corn patch), Sean Cornnery, Kojak, Corn Cob Like Old time, Dick Cheney, Be Glad It's Not a Hemorrhoid, and about 3 others that I can't put on a family site.

So without further ado, here are the three finalists:

"Cornelius" nominated by Nurse Boop
"The Great Cornholio" by Jessie in B-town (I am still a big Beavis & Butthead fan)
"Maizie" nominated by Michaela (family favorite because I had a wonderful great aunt by that name)

Vote by using the poll on the left side-bar and good luck to the finalists!

Shucking Corn

2009-05-15T13:58:00.003-05:00

Sorry about the weird voice delay. I discovered after recording this that there's an option to record directly to YouTube from the webcam. Also come visit over the weekend when we will announce the winner of the "Name That Corn Contest." I'm still surprised no one suggested Orville.

Why I Might Be Just a Bit Grouchy

2009-05-12T18:52:00.003-05:00

I had this really terrific blog post planned for today. It included how wonderful my weekend went (financially and entertainingly), how Ben had gotten sick but managed by teamwork kept him from another Thanksgiving episode, how much better life has been the past two or three weeks, and how much I was looking forward to the weekend off so I could work in the yard. Post postponed.

For almost a year now I've had this "thing" on the digit next to my left foot's pinkie toe. I suspected what it was but this "thing" never gave me a problem. It just looked sort of gross and since most people are not focused (usually...unless you're really weird...like me) on someone else's feet I decided not to even deal with it.

Well a funny - okay it really isn't funny - thing happened within the last 24 hours. That particular toe is sore as hell! As in that it's painful to walk. The "thing" is most likely a corn and decided now was the time to make its presence known. Thankfully I have a weekend off to consider my options before daring my corn to make the 72 hours of my next festival miserable.

I tell you this not to be gross....okay...I lie. I really love writing about gross stuff that all of us can identify with but I need some information. Google gave me a bunch of really stupid remedies. I'll be going with the safe ones but if you have some more interesting ones then let me know. Also I need to name this little prick upon said toe. The best one gets an 8" x 10" giclee print; not of my deformed toe but your choice of a Ben & Bennie creation (voting is always a family endeavor).

Until tomorrow when I give you a terrific report about the weekend, all I can say is "Owww!"

My Day at Hopeful Parents

2009-05-07T13:38:00.004-05:00

We are over here today. Long time readers may recognize this piece. I wrote it almost two years ago but it describes a scene that often repeats itself around here.

Today is the first day in well over a week that he "kind of sort of" acts like himself. That's good news for Joan and Jessie since I head down the road to the Atlanta area tomorrow morning. I will be at Barefoot in the Park in downtown Duluth Saturday & Sunday. Since I am aware of several regular readers who live in the area I expect you to come out just to say hello!

Also I expect a pretty interesting blog post early next week, if not sooner. I'm staying with Rick & Cher Thompson Austin this weekend. Cher is an incredibly talented glass/mixed media artist. Rick is infamously known as the founding member of the Pack Mule Society (PMS), an organization dedicated to all "art slaves" around the world. Also this couple knows how to party! Note to self: be sure to pack a full bottle of Advil.

Two in a Row!

2009-05-05T17:17:00.010-05:00

That's right. Two awesome festivals over two weekends! And the potential for this coming weekend in Atlanta is expected to be even better.

Having two good weekends this early in the season is certainly a shot in the arm and confirmation I needed that I am still doing what I'm meant to do. The cool thing is that I'm meeting some some new artists and developing some wonderful friendships. Since I've been home from Savannah I've been on the phone networking with a couple of old friends and a few new ones. More about that in a moment.

This past weekend offered a pleasant surprise. Spartanburg's (SC) Spring Fling is actually 31 years young now but the Folk and Outsider Art Show is only in its second year. Young art shows can sometimes be dreadful as far as sales. Although I didn't set any records most of what I took in was profit since I had hardly no expenses. Even though we worked some long hours (Friday 3 to 9, Saturday 9 to 9, Sunday 12 to 7) two things made it extremely enjoyable. This was the first show in almost a year that my dear friend Christy Buchanan and I were able to attend together. Secondly, the music kicked some major ass!

Oh. My. God! Three days of continual coolness by local and regional acts. Seriously, being a former full-time musician and then a part-time local bar acoustic player I was really blown away. From funky jazz to blues, the Spring Fling had it all - and it was AWESOME! I ended up buying two CDs. The Watts from Spartanburg were a big hit Saturday afternoon before the rain dampened things (be sure to listen to all three selections via the link). They were followed by The StereoFidelics, a husband and wife duo from Asheville, NC who were just mind-blowing. Check out the video section of their site and you'll see what I mean (watch the entire 5 minute piece on the left side).

Spartanburg was a great bookend for my experience in Savannah. I've alluded to it for about a week now but I finally have a chance to tell you about getting to be "one of the ladies." While I have some wonderful male artist friends, for some reason I get the opportunity to hang out with some absolutely gorgeous female artists after many of the shows. Fine Arts on the River was just a new occasion for that to happen.

To make a long story short, Amy Cox, one of my best art buddies had some really terrific booth neighbors. That led to a dinner with some really cool gals on Friday night at a piano bar over-looking River Street. Friendships for life were made over a nice bottle of wine and some awesome appetizers. The rest of the weekend was just an absolute blast because of the energy exuded from this core group of artisans.

So without further ado, let me introduce the River Street Vagrant Pack (RSVP)...

This is Amy pretending to be a ceramist without any arms or legs. She must be good "kicking" that wheel with her chin while centering the huge lump of clay with her nose. Her hubby Jayson is one of the funniest people I've ever met. The guy is extremely bright and witty. My face is usually sore from laughing so hard after I hang out with them.

Here's my new painting buddy and possible camping partner in the future. Kelley Morris is an oil painter from....gulp...HOLDEN BEACH, NORTH CAROLINA! In her defense had I known her last fall she would've told me to stay far away from her locale unless I were there for sun & fun. Both Kelley and Amy surf. They live just a short distance away from each other so they plan on catching some waves later on this summer, dude.

Back to camping. Kelley...uh...makes me look like a wimp. She is all about roughing it as in tent camping with no air conditioning, etc. Even though she's just a tiny little lady I wouldn't want to piss her off!

This is our fearless leader, Moso! She is the real deal when it comes to folk/outsider art. I was really tickled that she showed up Sunday morning to squeeze in a day at Spartanburg! As it turns out she and Christy have actually met each other before at another festival. Hopefully the two of us will get to meet for dinner or drinks this coming weekend (she lives in Atlanta).

Oh yeah, Moso had the best quote from this past weekend. When asked if she'd drink one of Christy's Bloody Marys her reply was, "I'm an artist - I'll drink anything."

This is the lovely Christina Paluszek. She is cute as a button! I swear I thought she was about 25 until I read her bio when I got home. I wish I could look so young! Her jewelry is so very cool and so very different because Chris has studied some of the historical stuff i like: Celtic, northern European, and Viking cultures. I can't wait to pick her brain for some painting ideas!

Just one of "The Ladies."

I Should Probably Go to Hell for This...

2009-05-01T11:25:00.007-05:00

Speaking of Hell, I can say for certain that Ben has had his share of fire and brimstone filled journeys in his nine short years. Even though he can't walk he certainly has felt the heat as we've pushed him along the molten highways of exceptional living.

If you haven't been following along on Facebook then let me say that the wicked virus Joan caught last week has really done a number on our son. Just when we thought he had turned the corner yesterday his fever returned with a vengeance. As they say there is no sleep for the weary. Things reached the boiling point for me and Joan as well. While trying to make an impression by way of phone call to work about the severity of Ben's condition Joan hung up on me. In my book there is only one ruder thing anyone can do to me and that is spit at me. Shit definitely hit the fan.

Things between me and my wife are so very confusing and in such a state of emotional flux that I don't know up from down, right from wrong, or heads from tails. I just want for us to be away for awhile - and I don't honestly know if we need to be away together or from each other. I just know that I keep working. Having a brush in my hand at the moment really seems the only true escape that I have. Perhaps that new beach scene is my way of wishful thinking.

Anyway, I haven't forgotten that some introductions of my new artist friends are still due. They're still on the front burner and knowing that I just might meet some pretty interesting characters this weekend at Spartanburg's (South Carolina) Folk & Outsider Art Festival which begins today, expect a full "disclosure" first of the week. My dear friend Christy Buchannan is coming up for the show. There's always a story whenever we're together! If you're in the upstate then please come visit with us.

Oh yeah, why I should probably check in with Old Nick? check it out for yourself...

The One Where He Sort of Rambles

2009-04-29T15:54:00.005-05:00

I do know that I have a few more remaining thoughts about this past weekend and some introductions to make. Those will come very soon. However I feel rather melancholy today. As we all know that frequently happens once we come down from the high of a fun or joyful experience. I guess it's also in the nature of what I do for a living.

It's difficult to explain how we artists and crafters can really feed off the energy of a terrific show. There is nothing like being surrounded by like-minded individuals who have common interests, even common personalities. Plus there is that part where for three or four days I'm completely distracted from the situation at home - the problems we're still facing and will continue to face for the next several months and most likely in the coming years.

Joan caught a very nasty flu-like virus at the end of last week. I knew it was coming too. The stress of her job coupled with our personal issues finally provided the knock-out punch. Unfortunately the virus got passed on to Ben. Although he's been very sick with the same high temperature, body aches, and congestion as my wife it is very good to see how much stronger he is these days. There's no doubt that two or three years ago something like this would've easily put him in the hospital.

Joan and I haven't really talked about the meltdown that occurred a few weeks back very much even though the reality is still front and center. Some of my friends are still just discovering how difficult the situation in which we find ourselves. The two of us I think are managing our emotions quite well. The marriage part may be in shambles but the friendship remains very much in tact. We both agree that whatever the future holds for as a couple our children's well-being comes first and foremost.

My respite is that I have shows four of the next five weekends and I travel for three of those. I can immerse myself in my work and visit with those artist friends I mentioned earlier. Joan? Not so lucky. Work will continue to loom over her like a vulture perched on her shoulder. I'd really love for her to be able to do what she once did when we were having marital issues. Joan took off for the beach for a long weekend by herself. I think that short little personal vacation ultimately saved our marriage; it would certainly give her a chance to get away from at least some of the current hassles.

One other thing that I've been holding onto for a week or so now. It just so happened that one of my old fraternity brothers read that "meltdown post." It also just so happened that a golf outing took place a few weekends ago here in the town of our alma mater. Although the not-so-surprise-visit of a few Pi Kappa Phis did help us out financially it was more rewarding to receive the warmth, support, and encouragement from these great guys from my distant past. For a couple of hours it seemed we were back in college swapping lies and tall tales but the truth was obviously written in the grayer hair and receding hairlines. And even though over two decades have passed I know without a doubt we share a true brotherhood. It's something I didn't think about much way back in The Day as we were emptying a keg but it's certainly something I dearly treasure now as I'm approaching that mid-century mark.

Capri Sun's $250 Giveaway!

2009-04-29T10:38:00.004-05:00

Yes, you read that correctly! One of our lucky readers will win a $250 Visa gift card compliments of BlogHer and Capri Sun. we've had to keep this under wraps for about a month now but A Work of Art was chosen to review Capri Sun's new breakfast drink.

You will need to go to our review blog to learn how to enter the contest. And even though the grand prize winner will be selected randomly we wanted to encourage our readers to really work on their humorous morning tales so....

In addition to the gift card winner, Jessie and Joan will select three finalists to receive a gift of art from me and Ben. Our readers will vote beginning in mid-June on a first, second, and third place winner. Each one will be awarded a special gift courtesy of Ben & Bennie! We'll reveal what those gifts are closer to the end of the contest (July 9th).

Good luck! And be sure to check out Capri Sun "sunrise."

How Bennie Got His Groove Back

2009-04-27T18:01:00.004-05:00

This is Part One of what I expect to be a three-part blog series. Unfortunately, despite my good intentions, time did not not allow blogging from the road. I did have some opportunities that might have allowed me to do so but I instead took that time to hang out and meet some new ~~family members~~ artist friends who you will get to meet in Part Two.

In my honest opinion this was a "crossroads" weekend with a bunch of questions answered. Do I really want to work this hard for my job? Are you willing to be away from your family for a lengthy stretch of time? Does heat exhaustion and sunburn give you a good reason to point a middle finger to the sky? The resounding answer was "Yes!!"

The Savannah Fine Arts Festival ended so very fine; not just for me but for many of the other artists as well. Most of us artisans needed to know that art and fine craft is still celebrated in our nation. More importantly we needed to find out if the economy is truly making a comeback. Indeed if the next few shows coming up are anything close to this past weekend's then we're on the right track.

Despite weather conditions more like July than late April shoppers in Savannah acted like voters in Chicago: they came out early and often! Another good sign was the fact that there were plenty of tourists in town all four days of the event. All I can say is thank you Kenny, Felicia, and the Savannah Waterfront Association for hosting such a fine event.

Oh yeah, one other bit of news from the weekend that is somewhat noteworthy. See that image just below this post? The one showing the new little "mixed media" idea I'm starting to use? The abstract view of the Savannah skyline? It was chosen as the official design for the 2010 Fine Arts on the River, featured on t-shirts and any other advertising done for next year's festival. Oh how groovy it feels to have that groove back!

South Bound

2009-04-22T11:15:00.003-05:00

I'll be leaving for Savannah a bit later today. It's a bittersweet feeling because I truly love doing those shows down there. The camping facility I stay at (Skidaway Island State Park) is by far the best I've ever camped in. The folks at the Savannah Waterfront Association treat their artisans extremely well - they are always helpful and supportive. And usually I have great customers and good sales there.

But this will one of the longest trips of the year for me. Four days without the family. Over one hundred hours without seeing Jessie and Ben. And of course, I worry about how the economy will affect the great potential this festival has to offer.

Even though it's only Wednesday it feels more like Friday. I have been painting almost non-stop for about two weeks and yesterday I spent almost the entire day updating my print selections. It's funny because I'm always paranoid that I don't have enough material before most shows. When I loaded the van this morning I was actually pleasantly surprised at how many original paintings I'm actually carrying with me!

For the first time I'll be carrying a laptop with me so I do plan on updating the blog during the weekend. Hopefully I'll have some time to catch up on my blog reading - I have a ton of favorite bloggers to catch up on! I'd also ask that those of you that do so say a prayer for success and safety while I travel. Even though I already have one show this season under my belt I still have some icky feelings left over from the Holden Beach incident last fall.

The above painting is new and incorporates a new process I've worked on during the winter. If you click on the image you can study it a little closer. Let's see how many of you can figure out what's different about it.

More New Paintings

2009-04-18T14:51:00.009-05:00

As you can see I've continued to work, refusing to cave into the desire to stay in bed all day to hide from the world. Perhaps the stress is pushing me into new territory - many of these are a true return to my "primitive" days when I was making the transition from oil back to acrylic.

Truly when I'm in the studio the problems disappear at least for a while. It's so refreshing to be pulled into the scene before me while layering colors on the canvas. I think I'm finding out why folks like my finished pieces so much - I definitely would rather be there than here.

I had a wonderful treat yesterday afternoon. Word has spread about our life circumstances via Facebook, e-mails, and the blog. My brothers from my college fraternity, Pi Kappa Phi, have an annual golf outing. In celebration of the 25th event they returned home to Furman University here in Greenville for the weekend. As much as I would've loved to join them I knew our check book wouldn't allow it so I declined the inviation a few weeks back.

Six of the guys including all but one of my pledge class stopped by yesterday for several hours to offer support. It was much needed therapy for me. Of course Ben was in awe of having 7 men sitting around laughing about the good times we've had through the years. Honestly I laughed for the first time in weeks. Thanks guys!

I've finally added new items at our on-line store. Mostly prints for the moment. I still have the rest of today and tomorrow to add a few totes and original paintings. The "Sea Turtle" is one of my all-time favorites! It measures 16" x 20" and comes ready to hang. as always you can click on the images for a closer view of them.

"Big City Nights"
24" x 36" canvas

"Joy in the Key of Life"
24" x 30" canvas
This was a commission piece - no prints will be available.

"Bite Me!"
24" x 36" canvas
I love this one!

"Purple Haze"
24" x 36" canvas

"Twilight"
24" x 36" canvas