In this, my third period of unemployment in as many years, it has finally occurred to me that I haven’t shared one of my favorite paintings that I have done last year. It’s called Adventures in Unemployment, Part II.

When I was unemployed for the second time (thus, “Part II”) it was summer and I continued what I had done during my first bout of unemployment, which was to go explore the local parks with my dog for his morning walk. I discovered my absolute favorite local park in March of 2024 that way.

Rocky is getting on in years: he’ll be turning 10 this month! And as a big dog, that’s quite nice. He’s starting to slow down but he still absolutely loves to explore new places.

This painting was inspired by the parks I visited in the summer of 2024. Considering the echoes of history in the here and now, revisiting the painting is a nice reminder to take some time and explore nature with Rocky again. I’ve got to get him out there so that he can stay sharp and fit. I want to really appreciate the time I have with him.