guiding me home

I am honored to share my latest watercolor painting, “Guiding Me Home”.  This piece was born from a quiet kind of remembering—the kind that lives in salt air, weathered wood, and stories passed down from grandfathers of locals like me.  Inspired by the historic lighthouse on Bald Head Island and those who lived through the Great Depression—an era marked by hardship, devotion, and hope.

There is a stillness here that comes just before the sky turns to darkness as an unexpected storm approaches and the long day comes to an end.  The weathered lighthouse stands with quiet strength, its soft golden light spilling across the shallow, misty marsh like a promise kept.  A lone weary fisherman rows a small wooden boat, laden with nets, the day’s catch, and a lantern—symbols of quiet determination, survival, and hope.  His steady movement through the marsh speaks to the weight of responsibility and the deep, unspoken commitment to provide for those waiting at home.  To the right, a white bird perches watchfully on a weathered post among windswept reeds, while a distant flock of gulls moves inland, hinting at the storm gathering just beyond the horizon.My connection to Old Baldy extends beyond its beauty.  For over 200 years, it has remained steadfast, serving as a vital marker for sailors navigating the entrance to the Cape Fear River.  Built in 1817 and standing 109 feet tall, it casts light toward the treacherous Frying Pan Shoals—a stretch of shifting sands extending more than thirty nautical miles into the Graveyard of the Atlantic.  In the 1980s, the