This painting is of Sailboat Pond (Conservatory Water), in Central Park, New York.

It's a late Spring afternoon. The boaters are out in mass and people from all walks enjoy the fresh grass and the warmth of the day.

Sailboat Pond is one of my favorite childhood places - so many memories; where my brother, sister, and I could launch our miniature boats to travel the pond - like world explorers on a quest - spending hours chasing them from one side of the pond to the other.

We were poor back then - just seven years since arriving in America - but nobody could tell the state of our family financial affairs at the park. We were dressed-down-millionaires for all anybody knew - and we were in paradise! 💖

My Red Sailboat... 
I always brought along my favorite Red sailboat to Sailboat Pond. It wasn't motorized, just a simple sailboat with a solid wood hull, mast with sails, and a metal keel. Once launched, I needed to chase it wherever the wind blew - running around the pond and cheering it along. Sometimes, it got stuck in the shallow waters near the pond shore. A crowd would lend a hand to get it loose with a tree branch or some other trick, and it was on its way again - Sailing Away - Yay! 😊

It was a late spring afternoon in 1964 and inside of Dad was pure happiness, expressed here in this rendition of Sailboat Pond. 💖