The recent invasion of Ukraine reminded me of the resolve of the British during World War II.
Hitler unleashed the German Blitz in an effort to demoralize and conquer the United Kingdom. Although British towns and cities were relentlessly bombed by air, Great Britain never surrendered.
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I painted St. Marks Lighthouse after spending a subdued day in meditation. It was time for me to reflect before the New Year began.
In my moments of solitude, I thought of my visit to St. Marks Lighthouse. Quietly tucked away on Florida's gulf coast, the beautiful lighthouse is a few miles and a world away from Tallahassee. The noise and political chaos in the capital is a far cry from the peaceful setting of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge. The Refuge captures the soul and simplicity of old Florida. Salt marshes, pine forest, egrets make for a picturesque backdrop. It's a nature lover's paradise with eagles, alligators, bitterns, ducks, herons, ibises and more. The lighthouse art “Reflections at St. Marks” recalls my moment of quiet meditation. Painted away from the crowds, the depiction reveals the back of the lighthouse. It is a “look back” at old Florida. The lighthouse, palm trees and salt marshes in the painting recall days gone by. A day from the hustle and bustle of every day reminded me what life was really about. Don’t miss The Ekectric Light Orchestra Band on February 24 at the Thrasher Horne Center for the Arts.
The English band’s mix of Beatle inspired, futuristic and classical music catapulted them to fame during the 1970s. Their album “Out of the Blue” went platinum in 1977. The Thrasher Horne Art Center features nationally touring musicians and performers, Broadway musicals and cultural events. The juried exhibit, “Capturing the Moment” is on display during all musical performances. Discover colorful oil paintings, watercolors and more. My painting, “Island Lighthouse” is part of the exhibit. My sympathy has always been with the little man, the man without advantages. Harry S. Truman2/23/2022 President Harry Truman is known as a man of decisive action. He was thrust into the office of President after the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt during the final days of World War II.
Truman had no prior briefing on the atomic bomb or the difficulties with Russian as an ally. He made some of the most crucial decisions in history. Harry S. Truman appointed the first Black judge to the federal judge bench, named several others to high ranking administrative positions. His most important decision was the Executive Order integrating the armed forces on July 28, 1948. Mae Jemison has always reached for the stars. In 1992, she became the first African American woman to become an astronaut.
When she was young she had a love for science. She dedicated time in her school library reading books on science, especially astronomy. When she graduated in 1973 as an honor student, she entered Stanford University on a National Achievement Scholarship. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering in 1977. After entering Cornell University, she studied in Cuba and Kenya, and worked at a Cambodian Refugee Camp in Thailand. She graduated with an MD from Cornell then worked as the area Peace Corps medical officer for Sierra Leone. She is fluent in Russian, Japanese and Swahili. In 1985 she decided to pursue her childhood dream. She was chosen out of 2,000 candidates for the NASA astronaut training program in 1986. As a science mission specialist she was responsible for conducting crew-related scientific experiments on the space shuttle. She flew into space on September 12, 1992, with six other astronauts aboard the space shuttle Endeavor. The Gay Head Cliffs in the town of Aquinnah on Martha's Vineyard are so spectacular that they make it to the bucket list.
The popularity of the colorful cliffs and the Gay Head Lighthouse is nothing new. One light keeper, according to a newspaper article, retired on disability due to "visitor-itis!" The popular lighthouse didn’t escape the notice of President Obama and his extended family during a visit to Martha’s Vineyard. They climbed the 51 feet lighthouse in 2009. “The Guess Who Band” Florida Tour kicks off Presidents’ Day Weekend
Experience live entertainment and the exhibit, “Capturing the Moment,” at the Thrasher Horne when the rock band “The Guess Who” kicks off the 2022 season on February 18. “The Guess Who” was the most popular Canadian band in the late 1960s and 1970s. They were the country’s first rock stars. Their popular hits include “These Eyes” and “American Woman.” The Thrasher Horne Art Center features nationally touring musicians and performers, Broadway musicals and cultural events. The juried exhibit, “Capturing the Moment” is on display during the musical performance by “The Guess Who.” Discover colorful oil paintings, watercolors and more. My painting, “Island Lighthouse” is part of the exhibit. The Art Guild of Orange Park presents the juried exhibit, “Capturing the Moment” at the Thrasher Horne Center for the Arts in Orange Park, Florida. Discover colorful oil paintings, watercolors and more. The opening reception is February 17 at 5:30 pm.
Check out my painting, “Island Lighthouse” at the exhibit. The beautiful, statuesque brick lighthouse stands solemnly upon cascading stairs like an Mayan temple. The plush green foliage surrounding it seemed to bow in submission. Europe led the way in lighthouse innovation. France developed the Fresnel Lens which revolutionized lighthouses. England created the first floating lighthouses or lightships.
Lightships prove to be an invaluable innovation. They were anchored in dangerous and strategic places where lighthouses could not be built. Lightships weathered wind, rain, storms and hurricanes in the open seas. Their history of weathering challenges made them perfect candidates for guarding the important harbors of the United States during World War II. Lightships were armed and became a deterrent to German U boats patrolling the East coast of the United States. In 1819 Augustin Fresnel study of light won him an award from the French Academy of Science. He put his discoveries to a practical purpose-the invention of the extraordinarily efficient lighthouse optic. His innovation, Fresnel Lens, is called the invention that saved a million lives. The Fresnel Lens concentrates light into a powerful beam that can be seen by the naked eye 20 miles or more. During the 15th and 16th centuries a number of local mariners known as Trinity houses were founded in various British ports. The London guild the Brethren of Trinity House of Deptford Strand eventually received a royal commission from King Henry VIII to build and operate lighthouses in England, Wales and the Channel Islands.
For some 500 years they provided the primary navigation aid for seafarers. Curated prints of Great Britain lighthouses are on view at the National Lighthouse Museum at Staten Island, New York through March 13. The prints are from the collection of Dr. Loren Graham and Dr Patricia Graham. |
AuthorWhen I am not traveling to or painting lighthouses, I am writing or researching lighthouses. Archives
December 2022
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