Summer arrives. We are full of grit and glory. Honest to a fault, always trying to stay on top of our own motivations and riding them sometimes like a giant whale diving and surfacing. Belief continues to determine outcome. Strong forces pull and sway us. Gentle in the last reel. 

I awoke early this morning. Up at 4:30, I went outside to dump coffee grounds in the compost bucket. I stood in the pale light of the NorthWest morning and felt acutely alive. The grass was freshly mowed and damp. Mt. Rainer emerged behind a thin misty veil over Maury Island. I remembered what I felt like as a kid in Georgia, awakening early on Saturday mornings and going outside alone and playing imaginary games. I’d be Roy Rogers, or Tonto, or Tarzen. I’d usually save the damsel in distress. These early years informed who I became. Nowdays when I awaken early, I make a cup of fresh ground coffee, and go into the studio and continue to play in a way that leaves a record. Paintings continue to evolve and I enjoy the wondrous process. I feel blessed and grateful.

Several events have unfolded recently. On Matinicus, our Summer home, a fire destroyed the new General Store and Post Office. This was the very core and hub of the island. We are calling on everyone to join the Bucket Brigade. For the Summer, we are offering our ‘Bucket’ print at a reduced price and all proceeds go to help the Matinicus Island Fund. The fund will help the Fire department buy new equipment, the Post Office find a new home, and help re-establish a store, on the island. If you’d like to help the effort to aid the people of Matinicus but wouldn’t care for a print, please consider giving a donation of any size, please make your check out to Matinicus Community Development Trust and send checks directly to:
Matinicus Island Plantation
PO Box 198
Matinicus ME 04851
We thank everyone who has generously responded so far. 

On another note, My wife and I have re-established The American Peace Award. First proposed in 1923 by Danish born, Philadelphia editor and philanthropist, Edward Bok. The Peace Award became known as The Bok Peace Plan. There was never an award given under the name of the American Peace Award. Congress at the time allowed a winning peace plan to be proposed but never recognized or adopted it. Last Memorial Day while listening to Democracy Now Betsy and I were moved to create an award which would be given to honor people who work actively for peace, who raise our consciousness to the issues of peace. We wanted it to be an expressly American award,. We’ve spent the last year setting up the award, an advisory committee and website. In lieu of a monetary award we felt that it would be a kind gesture to give the recipient a piece of original art. The inaugural award is a painting of a Dove. In the spirit of Edward Bok’s original concept, on June 8th, in a private ceremony on Vashon Island we awarded the first American Peace Award to Cindy Sheehan for her tireless activism to bring an end to the war in Iraq.
www.AmericanPeaceAward.org

All in all, we are very busy working on commissions, painting for shows and making a film. We are off to Maine soon and don’t want to leave with out the traditional “Lists”.

Summer Reading list

1. The Audacity of Hope Barack Obama
2. The Assault on Reason Al Gore
3. Power and Force David Hawkins
4. Waking Up to what you do Diane Eshin Rizzetto
5. Feeding Your Demons Tsultrim Allione
6. Beautiful Boy David Sheff
7. Many Waters Madeleine L’Engle
8. The Bible Karen Armstrong
9. The Bible (kjv)
10. Road Trip USA Jamie Jensen


Summer Listening list

1. Boxer The National 
2. Alan Hovhaness
3. Lou Harrison
4. Andrew Bird
5. The New Earth Eckhart Tolle audiobook


Summer Viewing list

1. Antonio Lopez Garcia exhibition in Boston MFA
2. The Palermo Shooting Wim Winders
3. Che Steven Soderbergh
4. Louise Bourgeois at the Guggenheim NYC
5. Jeff Koons MCA Chicago


Yes We Can list

1. Don’t be afraid to live in Hope

2. Don’t be afraid to be a “Do-Gooder”

3. Don’t be afraid to be Earnest.

4. Be the Change!

5. and Have a glorious Summer.


Bo