Sunday, January 31, 2010

Watercolor Therapy



One of the nice things about this blog is the people I have "met" along the way. I am not sure how Joey (AKA Whitemist)  and I first learned of each other's blog, but I would guess it was through BlogStamford. A native of Texas, he has been working as a local health department chemist for over 30 years. Some of his posts bring a scientific angle to the world that I do not possess.
As I followed his blog more, I realized he wasn't just some guy in a lab coat writing about the chemical compounds of sewage. His blog became a way to share many of the thoughts he had about life. I also learned that he was a painter who had lost his ability to paint. A short time after starting his blogs, doctors found a large, operable tumor in the back of his head. He is still going through recovery a year and several months after an operation that left him with double vision. According to Joey, his blogs became an outlet for him to share his recovery and find, to great surprise, that he could paint again.

Some of you may recognize the top painting of the Schooner Harvey Gamage. This was inspired by a photo I posted last June of her entering the Mystic River. The bottom watercolor is not of Long Island Sound, but instead it is a scene from Chesapeake Bay. Nonetheless, I think it captures the same imagery that many of us here often think of.

Joey K's Place
Joey K On The Environment
JKP: Paintings

8 comments:

Brenda's Arizona said...

Thanks for the lead to Joey K's Place. As I always, I look forward to your posts and I spend an hour following your map links and correlating it all in my mind! thank you!

Unknown said...

Thanks very much for the post - I have learned a great deal about the areas of Long Island Sound that I do not get to from your posting. Not only has it been informative, it has been inspirational for me in some of my paintings.
Thanks again Matthew!

Erica Houskeeper said...

What an incredible story. I'm glad to hear that blogging has given Joey a creative outlet. His paintings are beautiful!

kate said...

A really nice story! I am glad he's painting again, and thanks for sharing the paintings with us :)

Jeannette StG said...

I could not agree anymore - art is the greatest therapy! Neat that you two found each others blogs!
Love the first painting - definitely a keeper!

Lisa said...

You have inspired others Soundbounder.

Unknown said...

Thanks everyone! You are welcome Joey!

Jeannette,
IIRC, I found your blog through Joey's.

Mark Kreider said...

I visited Joey's blogs. He's a wonderful artist, person and scientist. He certainly explains things well. Thanks for the referral.