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The Latest Portrait Unveiling – Congressman Louis Stokes

Congressman Louis Stokes full length portrait
Congressman Louis Stokes full length portrait

Veterans Day is a great day to be a veteran, and I am….Military Police 1972-74… a lifetime ago.

But this year, after calling my father and thanking him for his service in WWII, I was honored to present the official portrait of Louis Stokes who was a U.S. Congressman for thirty years and did more for veterans rights and services than any living politician.
 
 The Veterans Administration has named numerous buildings after him, one of which is the new Hospital in Cleveland and his portrait now hangs in its atrium…thanks to funding by the American Legion.

Congressman Louis Stokes with Portrait Artist Rob Hartshorn
Congressman Louis Stokes with Portrait Artist Rob Hartshorn

 

Thank you to the great staff at he the VA, especially Michael, Mindy, Liz and Ashley

Check out my Facebook Page at Robert Hartshorn Studio & Gallery for more pictures with all the dignitaries in attendance including Senator Sherrod Brown and Congresswoman Marcia Fudge.

                                                                                                                Rob

VA Hospital Atrium view of Full Length Portrait of Louis Stokes
VA Hospital Atrium view of Full Length Portrait of Louis Stokes
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I’m ready..Can’t wait to get back to painting

Training is over.  I rode 85 miles yesterday from Brecksville to Avon Lake and back..so I’m readyfor the next 545 miles. But I’m past that too, mentally. Past recovering on the beach in Santa Monica, past Lakeside for the Schuchart Family Reunion. Past everything good and bad until I turn the key in the lock at the studio.

There are 3 new portraits waiting to be painted, ..and images, both abstract and realist,  keep running around my brain and need to get onto a canvas.

Early and long hours in the studio are the only cure.

My reading for the trip to California – “I’d Rather Be In The Studio”, by Alyson B. Stanfield, ArtBizCoach

My new energy music for the ride – Rob Dougan – album: “Furious Angels”

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California, Here I Come

This is my first post…days before I fly off to California to join my four brothers (Peter, Bruce, Ted and Mac) on a grueling 545 mile, 7 day trek from SF to LA as part of the annual AIDS/Lifecycle event.

I took the day off from training because it was supposed to thunderstorm..but it hasn’t yet. I could have been back by now, but once I said no to the ride I didn’t have the willpower to change my mind. Attitude is everything. For the past week I’ve felt sluggish before and after my 2 to 3 hr (30 to 50 mile) training, but as soon as I decided to forego the ride today, I found a burst of physical and mental energy.

Or was it the coffee this morning? For the last 4 months I’ve cut back stimulants because they compromise nutrition absorption, so when I do succumb…big energy.

But I’d also felt a twinge of rawness from my seat that I hadn’t experienced in a month, and I wanted that to settle down for a day…but what happens when I have to ride 7 days with no rest for any of the minor issues that I worked through over 6 months: the fallen arches, then the bruised wrist when I fell and fell and fell again, then the stiff neck, then the upper back pain, then the right knee, then the achilles heel ( still there), then the right knee again, then the blurring contacts.

Sounds grim, but the reality is that overcoming each one in turn has made me stronger, and I’m proud of the way my 56 year old body has responded to being pushed. My objective is not to simply survive the hills but to enjoy the road and the time with my brothers….apositive end to a first post.    Rob

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