This blog is mostly about my art, but I feel I must take a moment express my prayers for Texas.
Although I have not had the opportunity to visit Texas, several personal and very special friends and family among my artist friends reside in the area. So far, I’m hearing, they are all safe.
After residing in Florida for 13 years, I can relate to how scary these hurricanes can be. Of course, the first several years I lived there, the news always made the storms looks so bad, but it was nothing more to me than a bad storm in the Midwest. However, while I was 9 months pregnant with my youngest son, and living just one mile from the beach, Hurricane Charley took a turn towards us. It was the first time I had been scared of a hurricane. I distinctly recall our hurricane shutters rattling and the wind howling.
My Mother had called and told me I needed to evacuate. Upon opening the front door, trees were blowing sideways and it was obvious I couldn’t go anywhere. Due to being scared, I started to have contractions. Well that made it worse. Thankfully my calm level
headed husband and Mother in-law calmed me down.
After Hurricane Charley passed, I’ll never forget seeing those huge light poles along the highway snapped in half like toothpicks. Although I was living further south at the time, Charley also took down our favorite venue to hear music on the beach (Painting of the same beach below) . We were fine except our electricity was out for about a week. If you have ever been in South Florida in the late summer, you know how miserably humid it is. I will never forget having to go clean out the fridge at 9 months pregnant (hot enough with that baby in the belly) and no air conditioning. Oh how spoiled we are these days.
Our little almost hurricane baby arrived a couple of weeks later. As a matter of fact, right in the midst this Texas hurricane Harvey, my baby boy turned 13 years old. I’m glad I asked my husband to snap a photo that I created this sketch from. One day I may paint it.
This sketch still needs work. I’ve not done much with it other than getting in the basic lines. I will at least sketch it nicely someday or maybe finish in Charcoals. I couldn’t help but share it since it relates to the story. This does of course fit with my recent Mother and baby animal paintings, don’t you think?
About a year later hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana. I distinctly recall the news interviewing people who were going to ride the storm out. They were brushing it off as I had done so many times. After seeing the devastating TV images, I don’t think I will ever forget them. From time to time, I wonder about those people I’d seen on the news who decided to stay and if they survived. Having that experience and witnessing Hurricane Katrina, I thoroughly want to express my prayers for Texas. They are saying Hurricane Harvey now Tropical Storm Harvey may be the worst flooding in US history. Please wherever you may be, have a safety plan and heed word of cation and evacuation recommendations.
Wishing you all a safe week. If you enjoyed reading, Please feel free to share this post.
Written by,
Tina A Stoffel
Vector credit: Vecteasy.com
Clip art credit: https://openclipart.org/
Additional art created by me
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