Description

This work depicts a peaceful lakeside scene in historic Branch Brook Park, New Jersey.

The trees, stripped of their leaves, suggest the chill of late winter. A lone figure walks their dog along the lake's edge, a familiar and cherished element in many of Dad's paintings. The clear blue sky above is mirrored in the serene waters, creating a tranquil atmosphere.

In 1956, our family arrived at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, after escaping Hungary during the revolt against Communism. This piece is among the first Dad created upon our arrival in the United States, capturing the quiet beauty of our new surroundings and marking the beginning of a new chapter in our lives. The painting's calm and reflective mood mirrors our sense of hope and the peacefulness we found in our new home.

The Pot-lid Palette
We entered America in 1956 with the help of the American Red Cross. The American Red Cross and World Church operated four of the largest refugee centers in Austria and processed over 30,000 Hungarian refugees at a reception center at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey.

Our family escaped and emigrated during the 1956 Hungarian revolt against communism. We arrived at Camp Kilmer (New Jersey) with nothing but what we could carry. With the help of the Forest Hill Presbyterian Church of Newark, New Jersey, and after a short time of learning basic English and becoming employed by Wilber B. Driver Company, as a factory worker, Dad saved enough to purchase a simple set of oil paints and an easel. For this work, he attached a sheet of canvas to a cut of masonite left by the previous tenants of our tiny apartment in Belleville, New Jersey. He used one of Mom's cooking pot lids as a paint mixing palette. That's right; it was one of my Mom's cooking pot lids and Dad used it to mix his paints. ❤️

Sometimes, amazing things come from humble beginnings.

I documented the events of our families escape in a short story, titled The Moon & the Star.

The Quiet Place.❤️

Through My Father's Eyes