A Real Treasure

My inspiring friend Dick Hill, whom I wrote about here (please read it if you haven't before) and a little bit here, offered some of his paintings for "Art for Charity." If he posted an available painting. you would make a gift to the charity of your choice, tell him what that charity is, and the painting is yours. Today, more than ever, I am grateful this one came to me, for reasons hard to speak of.

Last month I received up this piece, a watercolor that Dick sketched of the view from his window during one of his chemotherapy treatments. He finished in the color later and it's titled "View from Chemo." My gift of charity was to our Friends of Theatre Summer Circle Free Theatre fund.

I love it and I treasure it. My favorite colors, a beautiful scene, lovely watercolor work. But what I really love is the poem on the back, written in 2020, which I will share here.

We stand apart

Masked so that we don't even breath the same air.

To share a meal requires careful positioning

And some courage.

In a world savaged, ravaged by hate 

and fear

and ignorance,

When we need more than ever to reach out

And find comfort in one another's arms,

I can only embrace the memory of hugs

And that I love you.

 And that, my friends, is the gift.

Dick left this mortal world on October 5. He did it his way -- Hospice at home surrounded by his very loving and wonderful family. We were friends, not intimates. Though we had worked together in the long-ago, countless others knew Dick far better than I ever would. His open Facebook page, however, with its mix of poems, life observations, and glorious colorful paintings brought him into the lives of so many who knew him directly and indirectly and enriched each and every reader with his joy and thoughtful introspection.

Art by Dick Hill; photo by Jeff Boerger

In the days leading to his passing, I would find he was rarely from my thoughts and that feeling remains. When I pick up a brush to paint, I feel he's over my shoulder. I hear his deep, baritone voice in my ear. "Loosen up. Paint what you want, not what they want! Use that color! Just go! Find the joy of it! The freedom of it! Don't worry about it!"

Art by Dick Hill; photo by Jeff Boerger

He once wrote: "Surveying my paintings, many inspired by William Johnson, Matisse, Van Gogh, Basquiat and others. They say many artists stand on the shoulders of giants. I step on their toes."

Art by Dick Hill; photo by Jeff Boerger

Well, if I'm stepping on Dick's toes, I have a feeling he'd probably tell me to "step a little harder!" And then he'd lift me up (no easy task) and offer such encouragement that color would be flying everywhere and I would be outrageously happy.

Photo by Jeff Boerger

Safe travels, my friend. May they be peaceful. You are free and we are better for your time on this Earth.