Visiting Vietnam

"Visiting Vietnam" Pastel  8 1/4 x 6 1/2 © Donna Gross
Available contact artist

The past two weeks I have been watching Ken Burns documentary "Vietnam" with my husband and my adult son.  Tonight is the last of 10 episodes for a total of 18 hours of superb historical storytelling.  

I was a young girl when the war broke out and grew to a young adolescent at its end.  I don't recall knowing about the war during my childhood.  I don't think my parents were dialed in on the daily news.  My two older sisters were teenagers in high school and the war lasted into their young adult lives.  It didn't touch my life personally back then.

These past two weeks were difficult to absorb.  Difficult to watch so much destruction to life.  All kinds of life.... human life, plant life, animals...

War is hell.  There is no reason for it in my small opinion.  It is simply sad...dark, colorless, gray...

I came upon a reference photo from a website I use that allows artists to use copyright free photo references for artistic creation.  The website is called PaintMyPhoto pmp-art.com.  I appreciate the generosity of these photographers to allow artists to create from their composition and perspective.  The photo I used for this piece today is posted below.

I am reminded today to be grateful for life, for living in a peaceful community, for all the abundance around me.  I do not take these gifts for granted.  How 'bout you?  What are you grateful for?

Reference photo courtesy of
Robyn-Ro-Lovelock