Steps in Time

Thomas Akers

Steps in Time

We make adjustment to our thoughts and lives depending on where we live without conscious oversight to the process. There is an elastic quality to time here, that seems to stretch more readily into the past and gives the feeling of life passing like a warm summer day if forced towards the future. It can contain the children in Winslow Homer’s “Crack the Whip” and Eric Clapton playing “Crossroads” easily at once.

The building in this painting stands near the railroad tracks and in grime with the soot and grit of two centuries, On the town’s side it displays an old “Bull Durham” roll your own tobacco advertisement fading into the brick work like a dying veteran’s youthful war tattoo. Its bricks were made here from native clay dug only 300 yards away and fired on that site.On the railroad side it advertises “Coke Cola everywhere 5 cent and Glike’s Sporting Goods” neither of which are true or relevant anymore and are like the promises of politicians in this age it has been drug into. In truth, the ground floor store stock for a nearby carpet company behind blackened windows. On the upper floors pigeons softly coo amid the sound of dripping water and a fetid poultry smell abounds. The stair case is now a risky journey to nothing of consequence, a coy promotion without pay off. Yet we remain heirs to what we were left at horrible cost; and our thoughts are unbidden, like the weather. Let us be good stewards and honest.

“Suicide is not to fear death, but yet to be afraid of life. It is a brave act of valor to condemn death; but where life is more terrible than death, it is then the truest valor to dare to live…..” Sir Thomas Browne
Water media on paper 30×22 inches Arches 300#HP

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Steps in Time by Thomas Akers
  • Judith Oppenheimer

    Judith Oppenhe...

    very nice Thomas!

  • Marlene Piccolin

    Marlene Piccolin

    Did you ever think about a book?

  • H M Bascom

    H M Bascom

    Wonderful work.

  • Wegwoman

    Wegwoman

    Nice work. Beautiful lighting and writing.

  • Woodie

    Woodie

    Another record of social history, beautifully done.
    Cheers Neil

  • Trace Lowe

    Trace Lowe

    Fantastic work!

  • apjenkins

    apjenkins

    Brilliant piece of painting and love the story behind it so interesting

  • Lois Romer

    Lois Romer

    Looks like a great place to get as a fixer up. im sure someone would have some great ideas for it.

  • Nanmarie

    Nanmarie

    A powerful image enhanced by a wonderful piece of writing.

  • RainbowDesign

    RainbowDesign

    I can only agree with all that posted before me – brilliant piece of art!

  • shanghaiwu

    shanghaiwu

    “dare to live”
    brilliant words from a brilliant man
    great photograph

  • stephani

    stephani

    Awesome work!!

  • JanG

    JanG

    Wonderful painting and story! I love that you are preserving the past as we move on to the future.

  • darkestartist

    darkestartist

    beautifully done

  • Carlos Teófilo

    Carlos Teófilo

    Fantastic Thomas.

  • Jen Cannella

    Jen Cannella

    I really love this…so much character and detail…beautifully done!

  • Ken Powers

    Ken Powers

    The rust on the hand rail is an excellent touch.

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