August 29, 2011

 "516 West Duke Circle" was my mother and father-in-law's address until 1999 when Hurricane Floyd left flooding in the Rocky Mount area.  The flood took everything, they painfully lost their loving home where they reared 6 young children and where their grand children played. I remember getting "the call" from my sister-in-law, Ann and with a heavy heart she said "we lost everything".  Laura and Guy (my in-laws) shared many loving memories with their children and grandchildren at "516 West Duke Circle".
As I painted this portrait of their old home, many special memories of their loving home filled my heart. I especially remember that maw-maw would always let the grass get a little bit high at Easter so the grandchildren would have more fun finding their Easter eggs. This painting is about many loving family moments felt at "516 West Duke Circle".
This weekend as we celebrated maw maw's 82nd birthday, she and paw paw braced themselves for another hurricane, Irene.  This storm had a very different outcome than Floyd, Irene left only a few hours of clean-up and some inconvenient power outtage.
Happy Birthday Maw-maw!