Forgotten
It was the early nineties and I was working at Busch Gardens. For about six years I had been dealing with "painter's block" which is a curse that all artists have experienced at some time or another in their career when they can't paint. What's as bad as not producing is the feeling that you're letting your friends and family down. A neighbor who I met during this period told me once "Do you realize how many sentences you start with 'When I get back into my artwork?...A lot!"

To fill this void I became emerged in the gorillas in my charge at Busch Gardens. This was what I called the "Gorilla Period" of my life and I was "The Gorilla Man". One of the large silverbacks that's still around in the zoo world today is Lash who was named after me. Lash is at the Jacksonville Zoo and I'm so proud of him. He measures forty-four inches around his neck and he's a beauty.

After my brushes had gone dry the inability to paint just left as unexpectedly as it had come and the muse for whatever reason had returned with a vengeance. I was to have a monumental two month long exhibition of my work at the main branch of the Tampa Library. There were many new paintings that had never been seen before by anyone and a plethora of previously purchased paintings that I borrowed back from friends and collectors of my work.

Two of the paintings that I wanted to include in the show was a smallish painting titled "Forgotten" and a large painting of Gypsies called "Golden Earrings". Both of which had been purchased by a doctor in Tampa. "Golden Earrings" was available but he had, however given the smaller one to a close friend who had fallen in love with it. "Forgotten" was appealing, I think, because of its simplicity. It was an old time Raggedy Ann doll on a closet shelf with her head leaning against the doorframe as she looked out. Shoe button eyes and one live tear running down her cheek. The doctor gave me the phone number of the new owner of the painting. I called to see if they would allow me to show the painting in the exhibition accompanied by a "Courtesy of" card. They said that they'd be very upset if it wasn't included.

A couple of nights before the show I made my way to their house which was in Oldsmar or Odessa, I really can't remember it's been so long ago, to pick up the painting. They were so gracious about it. I had never met the lady and her husband but I felt like I had known them for years. They had had the painting for many years. We talked for a long time. We were standing in the kitchen discussing what year it was painted and when they had obtained it. Well, her husband was sitting on a padded bench along the kitchen wall. They were saying that they had gotten the painting the same year their daughter was born and so on. There was about 2 ft. of space on the bench between the man and where the bench ended at the side wall. While we were talking he patted the bench beside him and said "Come on." for me to sit down next to him. I thought to myself "Now this is kind of odd." but I didn't want to be rude and I did have their painting so I managed to wedge myself into that little space between him and the wall and it wasn't easy. I looked at him and cautiously, I'm sure, smiled and he sort of smiled back. Then I looked at the floor and there was a small brown and white dog looking up at me with a look of confusion on his face. I said to the man "While ago when you patted the seat, you were talking to the dog weren't you?" and he said "Yes, I was.

Lash Out Loud