PAINTING FROM REFERENCE PHOTOS

This was loosely painted from a photograph I took on Shackleford Banks, one of the barrier islands near Beaufort, North Carolina. Wild horses still roam there.

It is also where I got my digital SLR (i.e. expensive) camera wet and ruined it forever. It is where I got little tiny cuts all over my feet from walking in an oyster bed (dumb-a*s) to get close enough to get a good picture of the horses. It was not the best day.

Well, actually it was a very good day, because I spent it on the water. But not a day of good decisions, I guess. I decided to take my ‘good’ camera instead of my little point-and-shoot, which I NEVER do when I am at the beach.

It also happened to be the day before Hurricane Arthur roared in to the lower Outer Banks. We decided to take our annual boat trip to Shackleford which was cut short due to the weather. Usually the island ferry takes us over there and drops us off for a few hours.

We drink pink champagne out of paper cups and watch our kids play in the sound. Then the ferry comes back to get us. This time, they were batting down the hatches in preparation for Hurricane Arthur, so it was a short trip.

The ride back was loaded down with passengers and on very choppy waters. We sat in the back (last ones on the boat, as usual). The back-heavy boat caused the water to pour over the side into our laps. Where my son Jack held my beach bag, which held my camera. It was protected, but apparently not enough.

Good news. Apparently when you damage a camera, it is rare that the card inside gets ruined. So, my close-up pictures of the wild horses as well as this reference photo for the painting above were saved.

The guy at the camera shop reminded me that a camera did no good in a closet somewhere, so at least it was being used.

Gee thanks.