"Love You, Miss You, And Keep On Practicing, But Don't Wait Up, Okay?"

We be jammin', he liked jammin' too!

• Yesterday was the one year "anniversary" of our son's passing. He was gonna be thirty-four. Love him and miss him and sure wish he was here, but hard as he tried, he just couldn't beat his illness. I really don't give the after life much thought, but wherever he is, I hope he has found some peace and can focus on the really important things like what pitch to throw on a 0-2 count, and… how to tell a joke before laughing away the punch line. Also, how to set the hook on one of those beautiful California golden trout we never did learn how to catch." How to make a model airplane without losing the clear plastic canopy, or perfect your delicious fish taco that Mario taught you how to make, and, and… how to go Pete Townsend on your guitar without scrapping your knuckles!
  
  Oh, and lastly, how to introduce yourself to one of those pretty young angels, high up in those clouds!
  
  Forever…
  
  Dad
  

  Copyright 2014/ Ben Bensen III

  
  
  

"This Guy's In Love With You"... And, The Purple Drugstore!

He thought it was "schmalzy, but so what...

It was 1969 at the Katz and Besthoff drug store on the corner of Broadway and St. Charles Avenue. It was across from Dominican College, where my then, girl friend, went to school and worked. There was a juke box inside. On her lunch break,  we'd occasionally have a malt and a burger and for a quarter, I believe, you could play three tunes. I'd always play BS&T's Blues Part II, Creedence's, "Susie Q", and "This Guy's In Love With You!"

For the record, on this date in history: June 22, 1968- "This Guy's In Love With You" by Herb Alpert hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and the record produced by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss.

It was not only Alpert's first No. 1 single, but it was also the first No. 1 single for his A&M record label. The song held the #1 position on the Hot 100 for 4 weeks, and also spent ten weeks at No. 1 on the Easy Listening chart. Herb Alpert's Singing Debut...

It was kind of a "schmalzy" song, and not all that well sung, but the song became one of Therese's and my favorites! I liked it enough to have Edgar Winter, my then, brother-in-law, show me how to play it on the piano...

And, I still remember how to play it... I'm such a sentimentalist!

Copyright 2014/ Ben Bensen III

"We Lost Most Of Our Pictures Of Dad In The Katrina Flood, But..."

Three Generations...

I don't have many pictures of my father since Hurricane Katrina flooded my parent's home, but damn, I can't find a better moment that depicts my relationship with my son, and my father than this...

http://youtu.be/Yy6sSp6IY7c

Yeh, I had to bury my head into my wife's shoulders, and like a baby, I just came apart when he said,

"Hey Dad... wanna have a catch?"

 Happy Father's Day, y'all...

Copyright 2014/Ben Bensen III

"A Farm, Smack Dab In The Middle Of Suburbia!"

On location painting...

Late last fall, I found this citrus (Satsumas) farm, smack dab in the middle of a suburban neighborhood. I was struck by the orange barn that was all the more illuminated by the evening sun and the long fall shadows. I painted this on location in three sessions. Originally, I attempted painting the whole farm with trees full of the orange fruit, but soon realized it would be better suited for the studio. The painting has a stark, well defined, graphic look which I love, and is what attracted me originally. You can get a better look and maybe purchase a print at: 

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/lonesome-road-satsumas-ben-bensen-iii.html

Copyright 2014/ Ben BensenIII

"I Only Knew One Friend And I Found Him At The Vietnam War Memorial."

He was on the football team as a second string tackle, and that's pretty much how I knew him. Adrian was a soft spoken, shy, rather unassuming guy who seemed not quiet sure of his place in high school. He had a great sense of humor with a disarming smile. I wish I had known him better. I went to our Senior class yearbook to find his graduation photo, but, for whatever reason, it was not available. 

Classic Adrian? I really don't know. We were pretty much all about our selves back then, as most teenagers are, and I have, now, no way of knowing. I had to go to our junior year football roster pic to find the one posted.

I was in my first year of college when I heard Adrian joined the Marine Corps. I thought, he must have had a real need to prove himself to himself to do something that drastic at a time that was so dangerous. Why would he do such a thing? 

What seemed like six months later, the news spread that Adrian was killed in an ambush in Vietnam. I remember someone told me how it happened, but the passing of the many years has fogged my memory. I felt some sadness, then, but felt it was naive to think he could prove himself in such a way. I felt it was foolish of him to try. There had to be a better way.

Many years later, while attending a function at Andrews, AFB with the Air Force Art Program, I  decided to visit the newly completed Vietnam Memorial. The memorial had been negatively talked about for what seemed years before and after it was built. I had heard people would bring paper and a marker or pencil to rub or score the names of deceased friends and relatives onto the paper to remember and honor those who died protecting our freedom. I thought that was cool, even though I knew I would not need much paper.

I only knew one soldier.

I would walk and search the entire wall until I found him and when I did, I just began sobbing. I really didn't know why, I just did. It was very moving. More moving to me than I could ever realize. A distant school friend, a team mate, a graduate, a soldier… a Marine!

A piece of paper is now all I have left of him and it is stashed deep in my files, forever. Who knows if I will ever find it, but in my heart, Adrian will live forever. Though I have never been in the service, and therefore, no real right to say this, "Semper Fi," Adrian...

And thank you.

Copyright 2014/ Ben Bensen III

"Be-boppin" Mom, Friends, And Some Horseplay"...

Some of today's polo horseplay...

We live about two miles from these polo grounds. Every now and then, as I drive my mom to and fro, she spots the polo players across the road, riding and slapping the ball around on the practice field. I thought it would be cool to take her to a real game. With the help of Debra Schilling Smith and Karen Babin, I was able to take mom to the Southeastern Louisiana Land Grant Polo Tournament today. Mom had a ball, grubbin' and watching the horseplay!

Like "cool Daddy-O!"

I also met a few patrons who somehow knew me, but I didn't know them. That's always a bit awkward, but I did find a few artists friends like Phil Shaw and sculptor/ ceramist Craig McMillin, who was nice enough to pose with me nine different times to get a decent picture. Our son Brian used to hang with Craig and occasionally help him in various ways at his shop.

Craig's work can be seen at:http://studiomcmillin.com

As I mentioned, there were some folks who introduced themselves to me like I knew them. It was very flattering, but a little awkward. One man I did know was, Dr. Jay Addison, the president and administrator of the Southeastern Louisiana Land Grant. He came over to thank me for my limited edition poster I created two years ago for the polo event fund raiser. 

The story of creating the artwork for the poster is at: Limited edition print, "Bubbles"

I had not seen Jay since he lost his son in a bicycle accident around the same time we lost our son. We spoke about "chasing ghosts" for the last year or so, as he, as well as I, try to get on with our lives. He sent a large, beautiful floral array at Brian's funeral. It was awfully nice of him to seek me out being that this is basically his party and was so busy running it as well as, entertaining.

All in all it was a gorgeous Spring day to come out and watch the ponies play... and for a good cause!

Copyright 2014/ Ben Bensen III

"Trying On Bathing Suits... And A Little Boy's Help!"

The Enemy...

I haven't bought a swim suit in twenty years.

It's not like I can't swim, I can. It is not like I don't like sitting "fashionably"sunning ( or burning ) myself around a hotel or gym pool.  I do.

Well, maybe not fashionably!

I do have a bathing suit that I've worn for many years in spite of the fact that it embarrasses the hell out of my wife whenever I am out in public wearing it. I just don't spend a lot of time that way. It is usually when I'm on a vacation that I acquiesce to trying on new bathing suits. I'm not at all as interested in clothes as I was as a youth. Maybe, it was all about the dating game... maybe.

Well, while spending a week in Southern California at a hotel that had a wonderful outdoor patio and pool, I decided to check out some "beach wear." I knew that I'd have to buy some suntan lotion eventually for the air show that I was gonna attend late that week, so why not...

Maybe, I'll purchase an entire beach assemble!

I didn't take long for an attitude change as I went from one store rack to another looking for something wearable. Suffice it to say, I was not in "bikini shape,"as each mirror in the fitting room cruelly reminded me. It was getting to the point where I really didn't want to walk out the door to crack another mirror. Oddly enough,  my timing was about the same as it was for this ten or twelve year old kid that shared the same mirror with me. I don't remember what he was trying on, but it seemed to me that he was also eyeing my sartorial disgust with the mirror. Three times I came out and three times he came out of his fitting room at the same time.

Wearing a suit that was more akin to a boxer's trunks, than it was a swimming suit, it was dark blue with lots of small light blue stars. Staring at a body that is twenty pounds over the limit and knowing I was really expecting a miracle to happen, the slender, dark haired, dark eyed boy looked over to me  smiled and said...

"That one really looks good on you!"

I smiled back, I'm sure, rather suspiciously, and said thanks. As he turned and reentered his changing room, I wondered what that was all about. Was he tired of seeing me so disgusted? Did he feel I needed some kind of approval struggling so with my mirrored image in trunks that made me look and feel like a sonar buoy? Why would he care? Maybe, he was just trying to relate on a manly level in a way that maybe he couldn't with his father. Maybe, he was my guardian angel in the form of a little boy helping me make a decision I wouldn't trust any guardian angel to make... just being in a guardian angel outfit. Maybe this, maybe that!

I stood there for a minute, twitching and blinking at myself in the mirror, dumbfounded.

"What the hell," I said to myself, "Maybe, he just really liked the way I looked in them."

So I bought them... and if anyone complains, especially my wife, I'll just say I'm keeping them because a California angel told me I look good in them.

Indeed, the mind is a terrible thing.

Copyright 2014/Ben Bensen III