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
Steps in Time belongs to the following groups:
Current Issues and Realist Traditional Art Available for sale asGreeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters

Judith Oppenhe...
very nice Thomas!
Marlene Piccolin
Did you ever think about a book?
H M Bascom
Wonderful work.
Wegwoman
Nice work. Beautiful lighting and writing.
Woodie
Another record of social history, beautifully done.
Cheers Neil
Trace Lowe
Fantastic work!
apjenkins
Brilliant piece of painting and love the story behind it so interesting
Lois Romer
Looks like a great place to get as a fixer up. im sure someone would have some great ideas for it.
Nanmarie
A powerful image enhanced by a wonderful piece of writing.
RainbowDesign
I can only agree with all that posted before me – brilliant piece of art!
shanghaiwu
“dare to live”
brilliant words from a brilliant man
great photograph
stephani
Awesome work!!
JanG
Wonderful painting and story! I love that you are preserving the past as we move on to the future.
darkestartist
beautifully done
Carlos Teófilo
Fantastic Thomas.
Jen Cannella
I really love this…so much character and detail…beautifully done!
Ken Powers
The rust on the hand rail is an excellent touch.