Thought i'd fill everybody in on my recent off and on absence. hope'd you couldn't tell but fellow blogger and cyber friend frank gardner caught me. Not many know that back in 1996 i started a homeless shelter, where i used to live in goldsboro, nc. when i went fulltime several years ago i ran the shelter, and two thrift stores that support it, thru a few managers when i was out painting.
A month ago or so the CPA gave me the bad news that the rescue mission was about to go under financially for several reasons. those several reasons turned out to be theft and misappropriation by employees, people not doing their jobs, and poor management, in general. i am just as much to blame, as i'm the guy who was supposed to be steering the ship and i was asleep at the wheel.
That my friends is the Readers Digest version for sake of brevity.
So i went back and devoted a few weeks to getting the rescue mission back on firm footing... new policies, new personell, with me firmly at the helm.
Funny thing was, that all the while this was going on, i didnt have much desire to paint everyday, which you have to know was abnormal for me. i found it hard to create when my brain was trying so hard to figure out a way to save the non-profit from going under. i didnt know if it would last until New Years at one point. Twelve years of hard work down the drain, putting homeless men back out on the street during the holidays, employees without jobs, on and on!
The minute i got the thing running in the black again the desire to paint returned instantly. its like my brain switched from right brain thinking to left brain autopilot that couldnt wait to paint.
I did a little warmup urban scene yesterday just to get the cobwebs out of my head and i felt rusty but not as bad as i thought it would be.
Here's my second painting and i feel like i'm back in the groove.
Now more than ever i know that a bad day painting is better than a good day not painting! i'm so glad to be back!
6 comments:
Mike,
I love the Topsail bridge. I bought the big one you painted last month at the Topsail Art Gallery. I love it. It hangs in my den, and I think of the beach. Can't wait to get back that way in the spring, and I haven't forgotten the boat ride to Lea Island. I am glad you are painting again. Sounds like you have been busy. Have a Merry Christmas!!
Susan Burleson
hey susan
good to hear from you again. i have been verrrry busy but not painting as you read in the post.
glad the painting brings back good memories of our beloved swing bridge. i'm going to hate when they take it down around 2012 (i think) have a good holiday season and lets paint Lea Island together come spring!
Hi Mike. It's good to hear the explanation. I was hoping that you were not terminally ill or something.
That is a pretty noble cause. It is nice to hear this type of story about fellow bloggers. It puts your life outside of the painting arena a little more in focus for all of us.
Best wishes for the program.
frank
thanks man.... yeah, thank God it wasnt something like terminal illness or something that heavy.
things are running a little better with the new personell and i've been painting some and running back-and-forth checking on them alot. not quite up to my usual production but better than it was. all this just made me appreciate doing what we do for a living. i must say i was taking it for granted!
Putting painting aside for what you've just been doing is a high and noble purpose.
You get a sense of fulfillment from painting well and selling.
But responsibilities for fellow humans in desperate need is a fulfillment that runs very deep.
A good reason Mike, to be absent for a little bit and isn't it nice to be missed?
I'm guessing you'll be holding your brushes a little steadier now that this has settled.
Happy Holidays.
bonnieluria
things have really been upside down the last several weeks for sure.
for me some things are more important in the big scheme of things than painting, but i sure have seen what a blessing it is to only have that on the brain.
maybe once things calm down and the people are all trained and working well on their own i'll be able to paint 24/7 again. thanks for the encouragement. it means a lot to me.
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