"Ramsey's Porch (Mourning Dove)"

Oil

14 x 7

Selected for the 2010 Birds in Art
Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum

Wausau, Wisconsin

(Purchase this Original) 

This painting captures one of those moments in life that are there for a short moment and then gone forever. My family and I were visiting my good friend Matt Ramsey and his family in Nashville, TN over Easter weekend in 2009. I met Matt while attending Virginia Commonwealth University, we where both art students looking to become illustrators. Things change… I of course am not an illustrator and Matt is an outstanding singer and song writer and that is why he and his family live in Nashville. I don’t get to see Matt very often so I cherish the time that I do get to visit.

Matt and I were up early both with a cup of his strong coffee in hand, our wives are still in bed and my son and his daughter are sitting on the sofa watching one of those goofy kids shows that only children like.  Enjoying our coffee on that overcast morning looking out his back door a mourning dove was just perched on his deck railing looking very content making the best out of his spot on that railing. Matt and I watched that dove for a half hour, finally we just turned to each other and without a word raised our coffee mugs, nodded to each other and we both agreed with the dove… we are making the best out of our little spot.