My email is: Martydeey@gmail.com
Personal log: entry; Sept. 24, 2025
I saw Mr Seagull today. He greeted me at Bachmann Park, a tiny beach park, at the lower tip of Manette, the little community that is at the Southern-most tip of East Bremerton. This little park was once the place where my -then- four year old Christina Jane and I would sometimes visit, on a spur of the moment decision, and as an afterthought, haul along our lunch in a awkwardly large sturdy picnic basket, that I think I had gotten from a St Vincent de Paul thrift store.
Typically the opportunity for me and my youngest to have these picnic outings would have occurred randomly and by spur of the moment, enabled by just some serendipitous luck going our way. Like on days when I had gotten a day off from my construction work, and my wife would have been at her regular job. My oldest had started school, and so we were home alone, suffering cabin fever, when clouds turned out to be nice, and parted, and then warm sunbeams shone through the sliding glass door and into the kitchen, snapping us out of our doldrums, and inspiring visions in our minds of a really, really, super, nice, happy, fun, sunny day, at the park. 😃🌞
Christina always had much influence in the final decision for us to execute this instantly developing plan of really happy, and fun adventures for the day. She would emerge from the back porch dragging the large cedar woven basket, and then, pushing it at my feet, would be jumping up and down, exclaiming "Picnic Daddy! PICNIC!!!" The day's prospects, and life in general looked pretty good in those moments.
We would then put a lunch together and load the basket, and would embark on the trip, to our happy park place, that was about four or five blocks away, from our home.
When we arrived at the little bay-side park; Christina would always be more interested in feeding the gulls than feeding herself -not surprising, of course, if you knew her even just a little. The noon visits to the little park were magical.
Much is the same here, at the little park, as it was then. But then, a lot has changed. A concrete bulkhead has been placed where none existed before. Probably to compensate for erosion that has occurred steadily over the years taking away beach material, and lowering the grade of the beach, at least judging from a point of about at its highest point where it meets the bulkhead- compared to where it once was- indicating a drop of at least close to a few feet.
...but something more than that has changed, for me, about the place, sadly.....
I snap out of my nostalgic trance as I suddenly realize that I have a visitor. Mr Seagull greeted me there, at the little park, today, as if he knew of the passing away of his long ago little friend. Maybe it just could be that a little birdie had told him about the tragedy that had happened -that was the loss to the world of Christina Jane David -my beautiful, loving youngest daughter.
Maybe Mr Seagull had somehow known about her end. He was maybe showing up to pay respects, starting with a hello in just a normal seagull fashion. Pretty much he started out displaying ordinary behavior at first, sitting mostly placidly with a bit of caw cawing and pecking his feathers a bit. But after a minute or so he had begun pacing and half-flew-half-bouncing about the premise, not far from me -perching and swooping, opening, and thrusting forward his beak in corkscrew fashion and then more theater -repeatedly, and often cawing vigorously. I watched him doing this for maybe three, or four minutes, and then finally after a final caw cawing that was almost screamed as though threatening to rip the curtains of the heavens wide open, he paused a moment shook his head, then turned and lit into the air, and flew away towards the distant Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. Then angling, and flying southwestward.
I watched until my eyes finally lost sight of him, having become a speck, and disappearing into the pewter grey horizon. I stared a moment, and then I wondered then if he was even real, or maybe what about today, and recent events, were even real. It has all become like just a awful dream of the worst order, and even beyond that, to me. But somehow I know that I will have to move on from this place, and accept the ugly facts.
I know that eventually I will have to accept the hardest change of all, that I am conscious of- about this place that was once so happy, and dear to me.... My youngest daughter will never be with me on a picnic outing or a shared experience of any other sort, here at this park, ever again.
She is gone.
My youngest daughter Christina Jane David lost her lifelong battle with mental illness, and took her own life, in her home, in Bremerton, Washington, on September 21st, 2025. She would have been thirty in November, of the year 2025. I encountered Mr Seagull today, as I visited the little park less than a week from the time of her death, after receiving the news in the early evening, on the day of her passing, from my oldest daughter, over a cell phone call. Of course this seagull could have been any seagull, I have no definitive proof that it was mister seagull, and have to admit that biology would say otherwise, as my daughter's friend- the real Mr Seagull -would have long since passed, as the time period for the original encounters goes back about 26 years, at least. But maybe it was Mr Seagull, after all, somehow visiting in ghost form. I'm just going with that, just for today, since I just really need something- anything at all- to feel a little better about this really difficult life, right at this particular moment- even if I have to manufacture it in my mind. I don't really care what anyone else thinks about my chosen delusion about the visit by our old friend, right at this moment.
May you rest in peace Christina Jane! ❤️❤️ ❤️ 💕 💕 ❤️ ❤️.
I painted a small mural tribute to her, on the fence of the ball-field in downtown, Port Townsend. The painted tribute-mural-portrait of her is represented by the first image presently posted on this blog-spot, immediately preceding these first paragraphs. The latest edit that I have just now performed on this writing post on this blog-spot is dated January 10th 2026, and as of this date, the small mural tribute to her is still on the ball field fence viewable from the sidewalk vicinity of Monroe street, just a few yards from the corner of Washington Street or from Monroe street- at a glance; or the parking area, or sidewalk area that is located S.E. of the skate park, that is across the street from the ball-field fence bearing the mural - and among several other art pieces by many other artists.
My email is: Martydeey@gmail.com
The images that follow- posted on this blogspot, and are featured in the first section of this post: are of some of the paintings and prints that will be featured in the reopening of Kreatia Gallery (See more information below).
Some of the art will be featured in the gallery for an undecided length of time after the opening. Two, or three months would be the most likely shortest length of time most likely that any of these pieces of art, or these art prints of the originals represented here, will likely be displayed at Kreatia Gallery -unless, of course they sell to collectors. After whatever the duration of their exhibition, or their sale; they will be replaced with other artwork, or art prints. I will try to continuously have posted the status of each piece of artwork featured on this blogspot.
The images that are featured on the 2nd section of this post and that you would need to scroll down to- and that follow this next section- represent fine art portraits that I have produced over the years, with various media, and also including many character sketches that I have been producing fairly regularly in downtown- Port Townsend, and in other locations using chisel marking pens, for the last three years. The production of those character sketches took an average of hour minutes per individual portrait.
Previously -in the past, until about four years ago, I had often drawn quick sketch portraits in charcoal, and conte crayon, and had done this often, at shows, and other venues, and even random locations, for about 35 years. Sometime in the future I plan to feature some examples of that work at the gallery and also somewhere on this blogspot, perhaps in a separate post.
In the future; I will probably be separating the image examples of my artwork that is featured portrait examples from the work posted here at the top of this thread- that is not portraits. And then I will probably feature the samples of my portrait art work on a separate individual post on this blogspot.
The date of the Grand Re-opening of Kreatia Gallery event has not been decided, but, it will probably be the Last Saturday of January, 2026. Some construction projects are presently stalling the operation of the Gallery. Keep yourself updated, by checking here, at this blogspot, or local media announcement postings.
At this time, it is difficult to even describe how difficult it is to move forward, with the activity of promoting my art work, after the tragedy that has befallen myself, and my family, and the friends of Christina Jane David, my recently deceased youngest daughter, who I just wrote some reflection about, at the beginning of this blog. I have am resolving, now: to go ahead with my life project of showing my art to the community, and so I announcing a showing of many pieces of art that were 40 years in the making- and that showing is slated to run for almost three months, and curated, and attended, to, probably 80-90% of the days the Gallery will be open -by me; signing prints and selling and certifying original works; is about to premier, in Port Townsend.
Hung at intervals on the wall in my next show will be some of Christina Jane's pieces, and I hope to also have ready to display with those examples of her work -some explanations, or interesting stories, or facts about those art pieces that were by her hand.
As this showing is being done; I will be highlighting some memories of some creative outings with her, at the show, and here on the blogspot, as I'm able to have them ready for the public. She was present with me at some of the locations, or scenes that are featured on this blogspot, and I'd love to share some of the colorful details about the unfolding of some of those precious moments.
* * * WELCOME ALL * * *
Waterstreet Night
(above)
This unique painting definitely has special meaning to me, and could possibly be featured in its form as an original, in the Kreatia Gallery re-opening. If this painting is listed as for sale; the asking price would likely be at around $3600.00. It might also be featured as prints at the re-opening. I really do hope to see you there!!
HELL'S BAR -portrait of the Town Tavern\, Port Townsend 2001 Acrylic 20x16 inches: $1800.00. (SEEN BELOW)
Back in the day, I occasionally visited this popular spot. I heard that it would close later in the year, so I painted it going with a view from inside -four different times, over the next five months, before the fateful day of its closing. Once one of the paintings never even made it out of the bar before it was sold right off the easel. Here is one of the only four original portraits painted by me, of the Town Tavern, still in existence, that is also the only one that I still own. I was playing around with an experimental color palette that day, and in end the forms looked sort of hellish in a captivating sort of way, so I went with "Hell's Bar," for the title.
In the next few weeks: I will be offering some of my artwork at great bargain original art prices, so if you are considering collecting, or collecting more of my art; then you might want to be
watching out for postings about these on my blogspot -if owning my art in original form might
interest you- see painting below, as an example- then contact me to find out when I will be available to show you the art that I am prepared to sell at a discount. I will occasionally be posting an image of those being featured with this special offering.
I must slip this in here at the forefront of my soon go to online exhibit, that features my on the spot character portrait sketches, because there is just not enough time for me to get this put out, otherwise. But do look for another post on this blog spot, featuring mainly this Gallery, and it's contents. But for now: Here is a GRANDE PREVIEW:
And while I'm at it: I'm also featuring the painting Agnew Grocery and Feed for $470.00. It is a painting with Acryic painted on stretched canvas, at 14x11 inches in size.
The image of my painting of the Indian Island Bridge (above) will be represented at the gallery with prints 11"x14" in size, and also greeting cards. The prints can also be ordered from me. Directly.
Seen above: The original painting- Rainier -Glassy Sailing, might be featured at Kreatia Gallery, or the prints will be- or possibly both. The price of the original will be $475.00, if it is decided that it is to be offered for sale at Kreatia Gallery.
Prints will be offered featuring the image of this painting of Liberty Bay, Poulsbo. Also greeting cards featuring this image are likely to be offered for sale, at Kreatia gallery, at the next opening.
Prints of this image of the Old Cafe -a print that originated from an original painting by me, done if the Fountain Cafe -will be approximately 14x11 inches -in size, and will be offered at Kreatia gallery, as soon as possible, once it re-opens. The lead up to the re-opening of the gallery will involve a lot of work and ordering of prints and framing materials, and the things that I will be needing to be stock the gallery to make it run successfully- so I may not immediately get prints for every image that I want to have represent my work in the gallery. But I am going to strive to have all of my best work represented at Kreatia Gallery either in the form of the original, or a print of the work, or both. I'm pretty sure that this may be a process that may take weeks for the goal to be fulfilled. One way to perhaps insure that a print, or original that you may have spotted in some of my promotion of the art, would be at the gallery when you visit, would be to let me know a few days in advance, of your intention to visit, and that you would like to see a particular image represented at the showing, just in case I haven't quite gotten around to having the image in mind printed. Then perhaps I could go out of my way to try to have that original or print available. This painting, inspired by The Fountain Cafe, in Washington Ave, Port Townsend, sold to a collector. I'm not sure how to contact that person, at present.
The original of this painting, that captures, in time- a beached boat in the Tracyton district of Kitsap County. It was visible from a car pullout spot and popular sea-run cutthroat trout fishing and bayside viewing spot alongside Tracyton Beach road. It eventually disappeared. Probably it was carried away, or smashed to pieces in a storm.
The original of this painting, that represents the farm area of Center Valley, between Chimacum and Quilcene, will be featured in the next Kreatia gallery opening.
The plien-air painting that I executed on the spot, at the site of the Devil's Tower, in Wyoming, is being considered to be shown in the next Kreatia Gallery Opening. Otherwise prints, and/or greeting cards will feature this image.
Amazingly two of my best ever plien-air paintings happened on the same day in Pioneer square, in the year 2k. I'm still trying to comprehend how this could have happened, since it was winter time -around late February, or March, and I would have usually have had to travel to and from Seattle, in the same day as doing this work, although, I sometimes after an afternoon painting a scene, in Seattle, I might have made enough money drawing and selling quick character sketches and other art, or prints in the pubs, after to get a cab and a hotel somewhere, or even just went to an all night cafe, like the hurricane, and stuck it out with a lot of coffee and a light snooze here, or there, involuntarily, so that did save me that much travel on the same day. Still, I'm just not completely sure how it could have happened so perfectly. This painting is the Seattle professional baseball-field still under construction at that time, that was then dubbed Safeco Field. I will show the other painting shortly, on the same post following the posting of this image on the blogspot martydavid.blogspot.com , very soon.
Image featured below: 36x24 inch acrylic painting on panel: Liberty Chic: $2,400.00
Above image: Life's Dreams Spanning. Large (approximately 34x44 inch) acrylic on panel painting: original available.
Below image: Large (approximately 34x44 inch) airbrushed in acrylic, on panel: original available.
Image below
painting: State Street Bridge, Rockford, IL
Available for sale.
Following images:
Originals not available
BUT FIRST:
ANNOUNCEMENT:
I'm sorry to report that as of tomorrow we will have to vacate the gallery for ten days as construction -installation of a sprinkler system happens in the building that Kreatia gallery -that is my new art Gallery- occupies. This is really a bummer and is just another disruption that I've had to deal with. The first few weeks of my move into the building I had to deal with repairing the condition of the entrance to the building because construction projects there were unfinished. That pretty much robbed me of he time that I should have had to prepare the gallery and prepare for the opening show and conduct some promotions- which left me feeling pretty miserable, and stressed and anxious. Its not the kind of start that someone wants for a huge life investment involving the possibly one opportunity to premier their Life's work. Having to throw away expense and time is not something I can afford these days.
Here are some of the paintings, and/or prints that are in, or will be joining the show ten days from now, when the gallery opens for another 3 and a half weeks -possibly longer, when we see that things are working out.
The Aleutian rose print will be available on a size of approximately 15 inches x 19 inches, by order request. The original was purchased by someone, awhile back.
Also- not available, in original form, will be: the Tug on Port Townsend bay, The Sailboat- Anchored Out at Liberty Bay painting, The Old Cafe painting, and the painting of Indian Island bridge. Those will be represented by prints, or available for order as a print. Please inquire if you would like to order a print that might be offered as representing a painting that you like, in the gallery, or otherwise have seen.
The twelve by eighteen, or sixteen by twenty high-res-inkjet prints -or sizes right around there- go for between $180.00, and $210.00 unframed.
Here are some of the paintings, and/or prints that are in, or will be joining the show ten days from now, when the gallery opens for another 3 and a half weeks -possibly longer, when we see that things are working out.
The Aleutian rose print will be available on a size of approximately 15 inches x 19 inches, by order request. The original was purchased by someone, awhile back.
Also- not available, in original form, will be: the Tug on Port Townsend bay, The Sailboat- Anchored Out at Liberty Bay painting, The Old Cafe painting, and the painting of Indian Island bridge. Those will be represented by prints, or available for order as a print. Please inquire if you would like to order a print that might be offered as representing a painting that you like, in the gallery, or otherwise have seen.
The twelve by eighteen, or sixteen by twenty high-res-inkjet prints -or sizes right around there- go for between $180.00, and $210.00 unframed.
There will be some smaller laser prints available that will typically represent my plein-air paintings, which works well since the size of the (approximately), 11x14 print will be very close to, and often the exact same size as the original was. My (most often-) larger studio work is the most likely to be reproduced as a high res print on high end print paper, with the exception of the airbrushed Mermaid painting that I offer as an 11x14 (approximately) inch laser print. I may -in this go-round be selling most prints by order, since it is difficult for me to build up stock right now, because the project of opening the studio, and having these shows has tapped my resources, but I will try to have some of the prints available, in the gallery, at least by the next show.
There will also be some instances where I could be involved in framing a piece, as I have a great picture framing set of miter vices, and a really decent mat cutter. A pretty decent miter saw. I use glass in whatever existing sizes the piece is. or I order it from a local glass supplier. I can take an existing glass and frame and cut a mat to fit it, and the print, or drawing, or what-have-you. So I have capability with some limitation, at present. Some art pieces don't require glass, or matting. If I were to get serious about picture framing, I would need to have a more complete set-up. It's fairly likely that I might refer inquiries about framing to one of the local shops, but I might consider taking on some framing projects.
Expect shipping of my art prints to cost between 12 and 36 dollars -going Fed-eX flat rate, if it goes the three day delivery rate. A larger than 16 x 20 inch would have to be shipped in a 6 inch diameter "tube", to make it into that inexpensive delivery rate category.
Many of the paintings' images are represented in the gallery -printed on greeting cards, and many of those cards can be purchased at the gallery.
I will let everyone know, just as soon as we set a date for the next special event evening art show.
I've been saying "we" often because my work in my gallery is accompanied, at present, by the work of Steven R. Johnson. He has also had a hand if some of the preparation of the shows, and the gallery. I f you see me at my easel, or with my art cart, downtown, or somewhere: expect me to have with me a decent selection of my greeting cards, and probably also some original art pieces.
Have a great week, everyone -I really hope! Maybe drop by after ten days when Kreatia reopens. You are certainly welcome!!!
There will also be some instances where I could be involved in framing a piece, as I have a great picture framing set of miter vices, and a really decent mat cutter. A pretty decent miter saw. I use glass in whatever existing sizes the piece is. or I order it from a local glass supplier. I can take an existing glass and frame and cut a mat to fit it, and the print, or drawing, or what-have-you. So I have capability with some limitation, at present. Some art pieces don't require glass, or matting. If I were to get serious about picture framing, I would need to have a more complete set-up. It's fairly likely that I might refer inquiries about framing to one of the local shops, but I might consider taking on some framing projects.
Expect shipping of my art prints to cost between 12 and 36 dollars -going Fed-eX flat rate, if it goes the three day delivery rate. A larger than 16 x 20 inch would have to be shipped in a 6 inch diameter "tube", to make it into that inexpensive delivery rate category.
Many of the paintings' images are represented in the gallery -printed on greeting cards, and many of those cards can be purchased at the gallery.
I will let everyone know, just as soon as we set a date for the next special event evening art show.
I've been saying "we" often because my work in my gallery is accompanied, at present, by the work of Steven R. Johnson. He has also had a hand if some of the preparation of the shows, and the gallery. I f you see me at my easel, or with my art cart, downtown, or somewhere: expect me to have with me a decent selection of my greeting cards, and probably also some original art pieces.
Have a great week, everyone -I really hope! Maybe drop by after ten days when Kreatia reopens. You are certainly welcome!!!
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The FOLLOWING ENTRIES TO THIS POST FEATURE MY STREET CHARACTER SKETCHES and SOME OTHER PORTRAIT SAMPLES BY ME
Canine photo-bombing happened to me in the City of dreams (while living the dream).
Was there ever a better time to have a portrait done?!? !!!!!!. I just finished one, and definitely ready to take on one more. !! Lets get 2023 off to a great start! email: Martydeey@gmail.com
