Before The Dawn

Here’s No. 89, a birthday present for my Dad. It may look like a painting of a gas station but when Dad looks at it he sees a lot more. He’s checking out the gauge of the steel, how long the gutters are, what type of embossing it is, etc. You see, Dad owns a business that makes the canopy panels you stand under while you pump your gas. You’ve probably never thought of canopy panels before but he thinks about them a lot.

The other important thing to note about this painting is the time of day. For as long as I can remember my dad has gotten up early. I mean, like, really early. I regularly get e-mails from him at 5:15 or 4:45. At the office, emailing. At 4:45. So this could never have been a sunrise shot. Sunrises are for wussies.

He’s also had one heck of a year. Owning any kind of business in this economy is dicey but running a manufacturing business that depends on retail development, in this market, can be downright scary. That said, the last six months have really started to turn around and it looks like the good guys may win.

It’s been a crazy few years but as the saying goes “it’s always darkest before the dawn.” And if there is a person alive that understands what “before the dawn” looks like, it’s my Dad.