As I did not mention we would be away, there is no reason for you to be surprised that we are “Home Again”. Fact is, we were called away on the 28th of December. We received word that my sister-in-law who had been in Hospice was failing and we needed to get there. Two hours after receiving the phone call, we were on the road to Laramie, Wyoming. Sadly, she did not survive until we could see her one last time.
So, we spent a week in Laramie, being with our Brother-in-Law, their children, grand kids and, of course, the cousins that traveled for the service. Such a sad time and while it is nice to see family, we should really find ways to do it in a happier way.
While in Laramie, we spent a number of days in the home of family friends, Tim and Jackie Collins. Such nice people and they have a beautiful home. Tim graduated a few years ahead of Wanda and was a classmate of another brother-in-law. I spent a good deal of time watching Tim practice a life long love. He spent his career as an Art Instructor in the Laramie School District. He has also taught seminars and special classes at a number of colleges in neighboring states. Talented in a number of mediums, Tim is most comfortable with water colors and acrylics. I inquired about how much he still paints and found that it is a regular regimen of 3 hours daily. My observation was that sometimes his three hours often runs into five or six. It was captivating to watch him work. He is working on some “miniatures” that will go into a show this summer. He completed one and started the second one while I watched. I am going to post pictures of Tim at work.
When I was in high school, I had no interest in art. NONE! NADA! ZIPPO!… But after listening to Tim and his approach to teaching and witnessing his positive approach to all mediums of art, I am sorry that I did not have a chance to learn from him. Maybe one day I can take one of his workshops.. I hope so.
Anyway, we are home and I am anxious to get back to teaching. There are a number of people with gift certificates and I am sure they will be calling to set class dates. I now have TV commercials running locally on the CW channel and am anxious to see if they stimulate more activity. And, of course, the web site should also promote increased activity. All of these are important, but nothing works quite as well as word of mouth. So, please, if you have a chance, tell people about me and the Joy of Painting.
Meet Tim Collins:
