Description

A signed limited print may be available of this piece! (click here)

This is one of those paintings by Dad that has a fun story behind it . Created in 1957, it was one of the first paintings he created in the United States.

It hung above our living room's old console television for many years and has become seared into my mind. The beauty of it is immense.

The scene is historic Branch Brook Park in Newark, New Jersey. It's just after a winter storm. Snow covers the sloped sides of the river bank. I love that lone person, to the left, with their dog and that wonderful, enormous tree adorned with spots of snow on its branches. The snow-covered path and railing creates perspective, carrying our eye toward the large tree and stone bridge, as if we were living in the painting.

The Pot-lid Palette Story
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.

The story of our escape is described in "The Moon & The Star".

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 Dad was employed by Wilber B. Driver Company, as a factory worker. He saved enough to purchase a simple set of oil paints and an easel. He attached a sheet of canvas to a cut of masonite (a hard compressed wood) 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 often come from humble beginnings.

Today, I see this painting deep and forever in my mind's eye. It hangs there as alive as it was in our old living room. For me, it's a masterpiece, and knowing the story behind it makes The Place all the more wonderful. ❤️

Through My Father's Eyes

I wrote the following song to memorialize the events of our families escape.

Song: "GET AWAY"

Artist: JTAR