My Hero Portraits-

Disclaimer; there are too many heroes in my life to paint. I've decided that the requirement and deciding factor has to be the impact that the person had on a community and that they have passed on into the next world. The only exception to this rule is that I do take commissions and I do paint my children every 3 to 4 years. Dating back to college I painted my version of the official Presidential portrait every new term, but the people I paint have obviously had a more personal impact on my life. The last President I painted a portrait of was President Barak Obama. It has become more difficult to paint a portrait people I only know through the media. Though it was fun to paint a portrait of a president I actually voted for (first one in my life 1-4) (Could not vote for presidents while I was living in the USVI in the 90's). It is a more meaningful challenge to paint the spirit and likeness of the people I know personally and as I remember them. I like having hero paintings around because they remind me to live everyday like it's my last.

The first hero portrait is my good friend Gawain Mainwaring. Gawain was a huge presence in the West Asheville community especially on Brucemont Circle. We were in the West Asheville baby sitting Coop together, we played softball together, camped, partied, and watched many sporting events including Gawain's favorite the Carolina Panthers. Gawain battled cancer for many years and did so with grace and courage. Ironically he passed away on my birthday a week from Super Bowl 50. The panthers ended up losing to the broncos as we gathered together to celebrate Gawain watching the game in the Mothlight. The painting came from a photo taken by Artist Paul Olszeski during a WAWL whiffle game when a rainbow appeared behind Gawain in left field. I'm pretty sure film maker Rod Murphy exclaimed "A GAWAIN-BOW!"



The second Hero portrait is of Sandy Tattersall. Sandy was like an older brother when I was growing up. He was a huge part of Camp Timanous in Raymond Maine where I spent all my summers till I was 17. He was my Crows Head Counselor in 1976 and later my mentor when I returned to camp 33 years later with my own children. Finding the right photo to use for his portrait was the first challenge. With the help of Kasey Suitor I decided on a photo from the year I was a Crow Camper and he was my Head counselor. There are so many stories I could share but the reaction I got from people at camp this past summer as I was in the process of painting it says it all. People were visiting the Handi-Craft shack just to see the portrait of Sandy. I gave the painting to Sandy's good friend Pineman. I think it's still at camp in Sandy's old cabin or Tattersall Hall. We all loved him and we all miss him! he was huge! A great Friend! A legend!

The Third Portrait is of my friend Fred Watts from St. Thomas USVI. Fred's Wife Polly hired me as an art teacher for The Antilles School in 1991. Polly picked us up at the airport on a hot day in August in an "island Jeep" with a tape deck playing something LG (my Pirate Bride) knew and could sing. Well, Polly took a liking to her immediately. Fred and Polly took us in and helped us navigate through our years and adventures on the Island. There were many adventures. We sailed many of weekend with them on their beloved Amazing Grace and years later along side on our own sailing vessel and home.  Music was always the main theme but what I loved was when Fred would go into one of his many stories with that distinct island accent he had acquired over the 30 plus years he lived in St. Thomas. LG sang in their band, we joined them for many thanksgivings, and we even share the same wedding anniversary (with a few years apart). Fred gave the toast at our "Pirate Wedding" on board a 70 foot schooner. They were our Island Family! Fred was a great friend and the painting was a joy to paint. It didn't come alive until I added the Tropical colors! Thanks for all the stories and adventures Fred!

Those three portraits represent the three most important places in my life. My next portraits will be the next series of portraits of my children Halsey who is 18 and Zada who is 15. They are as important to me as any place I've ever lived.

Halsey Marshall Congleton my 18 year old son is about to embark on an adventure of his life time. He will be in Mexico for 9 months living with a family and going to school. I'm proud of him, and will miss him but also very excited for him to be so adventurous. I wanted to write something to him, but wanted it to be special. So I decided to write him a chapel to be given at Camp Timanous at a future time. I just finished reading "Waking Up White" by Debby Irving which has probably had an influence on this chapel talk. My own father Jake Congleton probably has influenced this chapel talk the most though. My mother as well Sandy Orr who brought me to Civil Rights marches in Boston during the 60's. They both brought diversity into life at an early age. I'm grateful for that, and for being allowed to talk about it. I'll always remember the day MLK was assassinated and how upset my Parents were. I once thought I was color blind. I've always tried to judge people on character regardless of race, sex, or religion. But now I know something has to be done. My own son Halsey is far beyond where I was at his age regardless of the exposure to diverse living experiences I was exposed to as a kid. I'm very proud of my son and thought this would be the best way to express that.  I hope to give this someday in front of some of the best people I know, the people I love like family, Camp Timanous!

A Chapel for Halsey

Timanous Prayer;

We thank thee, O lord for the joy of fellowship;

For the beauty of our surroundings:

The tall trees and sparkling lake,

The life which teams around us in the woods,

The skies and clear water.

We thank thee for the love of doing things.

For active bodies and minds alert,

For the excitement of something new

and the comfort of things which are old.

For all these we give thanks:

For the cool and quiet evening

The restfulness of night,

The glory of starry skies

The new life which comes with showers,

For mothers and fathers who have given us our homes,

And for the trails which help us to know ourselves.

For all these we give thanks.

This Chapel is dedicated to all the Parents who have seen their child grow into an amazing human being and to the children who have seen the glow of love in their parents eyes.

“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Dear Halsey,

When you were born I held you up to the sky and the stars. I think they liked what they saw. They at least liked the music that you heard for the first time in your life, Bob Marley Trenchtown Rock. You are blessed! The Universe has been kind to you so far. There are many lessons though, and life skills that I feel I’ve neglected to tell. Whether I thought you would learn them best on your own time or I just forgot to tell you I’m not certain. When you turned 18 years of age I felt proud, love, and panic all in the same moment. I’m proud of the person you have become. I’m proud of your confidence in your self and how you easily talk with all people. I’m proud that you have an awareness of the inequality that has been unseen in our own communities and which have given you privileges as a white person that you have had in your life. It’s not right and it’s ok to talk about it. You are good at that. I’m proud that you seem to not have any bias toward anyone, and your ability to judge people on character not looks. I’m especially proud of your adventurous spirit your love for nature. I’m proud to be your Dad! I love your friends, your loyalty, and your abundant energy to go on expeditions. I love you as my son and friend. Though I’m panicked because I’ll miss you, I’m panicked because the child I helped raise is ready to meet the world.

“It is usually easier and more reliable to carry extra tricks up your sleeve instead of extra gear in your pack.”

-John Gookin

  Song- This Land is your land –Woody Guthrie

I hope that I have instilled a lasting adventurous spirit into your life that you will embrace all that confronts you and challenges you. Adventure is not neat It is not always fun. Adventure can and should bring discomfort and even personal injury. I hope that you will look at adventure as an opportunity to grow as a human being. Please do not be idle for very long, rest when you need to, but go out there into the world try new things, be open and always take the path of adventure. You are good at that too. You have a gift of youthful energy. Use your energy and time never take it for granted. Take a new road get lost, explore, slowdown, really talk to people, listen, it’s all part of the adventure called life. Oh the stories you will tell!

“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to ones courage”

-Anias Nin

Song- Puff the Magic Dragon

“Life is ether a daring adventure or nothing”

-Helen Kellor

When I was young I made many mistakes. Don’t be afraid to fail because you will stumble, and you will fall. What you do in the moment will help you see what kind of a man you are. It is not expected that you will always know what to do. There are many choices in life and not all lead to happiness. What road to go down, which friends to hang out with, and eventually where to make your home. Don’t blame others for your own mistakes, take responsibility for your choices or the chance at being somewhere you do not like. Remember what you are good at. Don’t blame others for things you can change in your own self and be cautious of judging people. When you fall pick yourself up look around there may be many like you who are stumbling through life as well. Show them empathy, share your story, many times your true friends will be standing right next to you and will go unnoticed to you. Pay attention to the world it is an awesome spectacular beautiful mystery. Pick yourself up again and again be positive, and go try again and again. Don’t expect to change the world right away. The world owes you nothing it has been here a very long time. You cannot change people to your likening, learn how to appreciate their differences. You are the only person you can change in this world. Mistakes happen and will keep happening, we all fail, so will you, but what you do after will speak volumes about your character. What you do when the world is not watching and you are alone will determine the man you are and will be. I’m very proud of you because I know you will be a great human being. Halsey I love you! I’m proud of who you are, and always know I’ll be waiting to hear your stories of the good times and bad. You are about to make many stories, which I hope you someday will share with your Mom and Dad.

“Man never made any material as resilient as the human spirit”

-Bernard (Arthur Owen) Williams

 

Song- Lively Up Yourself- Bob Marley and the Wailers

Salutation to the Dawn

Attributed to Kalidasa

Look to this day!
For it is life, the very life of life.
In its brief course
Lie all the verities and realities of your existence:

The glory of action;
The splendor of achievement;
For yesterday is but a dream,
And tomorrow is only a vision;
But today, well lived, makes every yesterday
a dream of happiness,
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.

The bliss of growth;

Look well, therefore, to this day!

Such is the salutation of the dawn.

New batik paintings and keeping a balance in life

Teaching, family, friends, community, and creating my own art is a balance that is never ending. The scales are tipped in any one direction and not always the direction you might want at that particular time. How do we balance our lives? How do we find time for ourselves and creating our own art? I don't know except that if you want to be happy you better pay attention to them all! In the last 15 or so years I have put my art life on hold to be present with my kids and family. I've focused on my teaching career and my summers at Camp. I spend my summers in Maine so my son can have the same awesome experience I had at Camp Timanous and my daughter at Camp Wohelo. Though Camp is really fun for me and some of my best friends on this earth are part of the Timanous community. It takes away the time I would have to create art. Spending time with friends is a crucial part of being part of a community too.  But when the creative bug hits there is no flu shot that can cure it except time in the studio. As my children grow older and demand less of my attention I'm finding myself in my studio painting again. 

In the last few months I've managed to do that and I have some new Batiks.

Timanous Chapel

Evan's Chapel

Loons

Evening Loons

Main Dock

Brook's Main Dock

http://mikecongletonart.com

Body Mind and Spirit

(Reflections of the 100th summer of Camp Timanous "The Hundy")

School starts in a week, the students will pour into the classrooms with excitement, maybe some good stories, curiosity and anxiety about the new school year ahead. What will this group of students be like? Will I be able to help anyone learn a skill in the art room? will I be able to help them be a better person? I often wonder at this time of year when I transition from Camp counselor to Art teacher and advisor how I can create community in my classroom. It is much easier at Camp Timanous but we spend a lot more time at school and in the classrooms. Cabins are crowded and living with others in close spaces forces us to learn how to respect each others things, differences and have tolerance for others not exactly like what we are used too. Maybe we should give students more responsibilities as they earn them kinda like the Woodsman and Voyagers Club. Camp is great because the teachers are not much older than the campers but teachers cannot stay young forever. Allowing students to be heard, fresh air as much as possible, and positive reinforcement are the keys. Being outside where kids can move walk and run. This is why I spend my whole summer at Camp, because we can make a difference in such a short time. Teaching to the Body, Mind, and Spirit.

Body-

Pineman. Campers run to the bell the bell rings somebody yells "That's the Bell!" Swimming in the Lake, Loons driving underwater, the mist rising up into the dawn sky. ducks diving for water snails who leave cryptic messages for us in the sand underwater. The eagle that flies overhead near main dock and someone always yells "the eagles are coming!" dips diving into the lake coming out and seeing the sun come through the pines. Swimming from main to Crows Point to beginners beach. Sailing on Panther Pond. Watching for the sail boats to come back in so we know it's the end of the period. Flag raising mingle with campers and in line with counselors excited about the night before but more about the day ahead with the kids. The capture the flag barn announcement. 40 campers and counselors making a charge on the field or infirmary hill in the green and gray capture the flag game. This years games ending up Gray 8 Green 6. Shushing the barn at lunch and the hammer being turned to Gray. Counselors suddenly turning into Gorillas in the barn for the Grand Daddy Gorilla Hunt game. The head counselor "Murder" game started 50 some years ago.  The whole camp starting the fire at council fire. "8:45 bring a buck". Cabin clean up, cookouts, sports, twilight league, and camping trips help the body become stronger and more connected to the community of camp.

Mind-

Dave Suitor, Linda Suitor! Learning to get along with others who are different from us. Learning how to swim, sail, shoot a gun or a bow, make a basket, an Adirondack chair, build a fire, set up a tent cook a meal etc...Managing your time at camp. Working towards an award as a camper, working with a homesick camper as a counselor. Helping campers learn how to make their beds and keep a clean area all day. managing campers who won't get out of the water at dips or campers who won't get ready for bed. Barn announcements, birthday speeches, sports "west coast!"Suitcase trivia, and the most important of all what to say about a camper's commendation speech at council fire.

Spirit-

Sandy Tattersall, council fire, chapel talks, chapel songs, seeing old timers come back to camp with big smiles on their faces. Chippy Hatch! Camp songs! story telling, Herman Schwartz! Shushing the barn "Great Chapel Jake Congleton and Dick Howlett!" The pine trees, the tears that roll down camper and counselors eyes at the end of camp and at chapel after singing any camp favorite. The energy of the 100th anniversary with 300-400 alumni wandering around camp with wide eyes and happiness beaming out of them like a disco ball at night. The spirit of Timanous is the most important and the loyalty that Timanous has among it's counselors who come back year after year to learn teach and experience camp for just one more year. It's the greatest learning environment in todays troubled world of too much technology, hate and the me firsters! The spirit of Timanous, the spirit of adventure, the spirit of learning, and the spirit of living well.

After 100 years Timanous is live and well on Panther Pond in Raymond Maine!

Man I love camp! and I hope I can somehow carry the energy of Timanous into my classroom!

To the Hundy!

The summer is a distant memory... Camp Timanous, Raymond Maine is a boys summer camp where I grew up and learned many valuable lessons in my life. In particular the role models that came before taught me how to be a positive part of my community and more important how to be a good Man!

As I reflect on the past summer, it occurs to me that Camp Timanous where I spend each summer since 2009 and 1962-1978 before that. It has changed but at the same time the spirit of Timanous has not changed. The people change a little from year to year and a lot from generation to generation. The weather and climate is changing from day to day and from year to year. Some years are more wet where some years, like 2016 the weather is a perfect balance of rain and warm weather. The activities do not change much though different counselors bring a different energy to their craft. More cabins and additions are built, boats are retired and new boats take their place in the water. The idea of Timanous does not change. Working and playing outside, no technology, positive role modeling and praise of a good deed. The community is the key. It is a thriving positive accepting of differences special kind of place that makes it something people want to be a part of. A place people want to come back to as long as they can. There are a lot of choices out there for boys and young men to do in the summers. But many Timanous alum come back year after year to be part of the special community of Camp. Body, Mind and Spirit lives in us and we hold onto it until we can get back to Raymond Maine and recharge the spirit! I don't know whats in store for me next summer, but if i can spend it at Camp Timanous that's a pretty great way to go!

 Now I'm painting a series of Batiks to try to capture the spirit of Camp Timanous as it celebrates the 100th anniversary! All the people who have gone there before me, who are there now, and for years to come. I hope these images ring true.

 

Art opening at the Posana Restaurant in downtown Asheville

https://posanarestaurant.com/

 About 2 months ago Nancy Joyce asked me if I wanted to do a show at the Posana, my instant reaction was YES, I'll be able to handle that, though it's the busiest time of year, my wife, LG Hall is starting up a new business, we have kids to feed , drive to school, alot of events, and I have a million projects in the works already. No problem, so I started some big batiks which are paintings with wax and dye. I make my own brushes and paint the wax on then apply dyes to it. It takes a good 2 weeks or so to finish each one because you have to wait for the dye to dry before putting the next wax lines on. I love the way the colors look in a batik and the vibrancy of the initial lines which are the color of the cloth. You start with lighter colors and get darker with each coat. With each layer of color the wax lines begin to become more visible. It is a challenge though and there are many mistakes. But the good ones are worth it! here are the good ones...

the exhibit at Posana's gallery and private party space

"Cold Mountain Pool"

"somewhere on the AT with Pedro"

"devil's courthouse"

"lower falls"

"blue ridge parkway view from big butt"

"blue ridge parkway view of mt. pisgah"

"graveyard fields"

"graybeard morning"

                                                                "looking glass falls"

                                                                    "lower falls fall"

The opening is Thursday June 9th at 5:30pm at Posana Restaurant, come out and join us!

The 7th Grade annual animation is a collaborative project that takes many months to draw and as much time to scan and create into a movie. The students start by picking a spirit animal and drawing it. The idea is that the animal should capture the spirit of themselves not necessarily a visual likeness. If they chose they can create a "random" object to draw. Then in their "core" classes they are given (randomly) another persons spirit animal/random object. They have to draw on a 6" x 9" piece of paper that persons spirit animal/random object into their object in a fluid and gradual way in at least 18 frames. Most students draw many more then that. The average amount of drawings is like 50. It is a great process seeing them come up with ideas, working with the people before them and after them about what they want to do. We watch "BIG BANG, BIG BOOM" by Blu for inspiration.

https://youtu.be/cyXSWmLBXVk

We talk about the history of animation as well. We sometimes watch this about the famous cartoonist Windsor McCay and how he drew thousands of drawings himself to create a short film.

https://youtu.be/kcSp2ej2S00?list=FLe8OT5snVVWqvOZzHcXFgfQ

When they finished their part of the animation we scanned them onto the classroom computer. We organized them and when we had everyones we put them into iMovie. Each class had its own iMovie.   We exported them and then combined them into a final cut movie and added sound effects and music. 

We started in September and finished most of the drawings by thanksgiving (Late November) This was the final movie for 2015 (though we didn't finish it till 2016.

https://youtu.be/SLb7w67zrXg