Exhibit 44 – The Boys Leave Home

Exhibit 44 – The Boys Leave Home
We were five, Kathy my wife and three boys, Josh, Ben and Sam.
I’m the fat one and Kathy the thin. Can you see us?
Josh left home in September 2009 for university in Nottingham to study Mechanical Engineering. He was gone for 8 years when I painted this. A successful degree, then training to be a teacher and a strong involved member and intern of Grace Church.
I thought he was off, going over the horizon to a far country. But he came home bashed and lashed by storms needing a safe harbour in 2017. So close to crossing that horizon but not yet.
Ben was next. He left home at 17 in December 2009 to train for 32 weeks, hoping to join the Royal Marine Commandos. He passed out in September 2010 as an original, joined 45 Commando in Arbroath, went on tour to Afghanistan aged 19 in Summer 2011. But he was a bit bashed and battered too and came home for safe harbour in Autumn 2011. When I painted this he was back to working in Arbroath but always coming home. An inshore sailor? That was until in July 2018 he succeeded in being selected for Special Forces only to die in training a few months later. Perhaps he was the one who crossed the far horizon first?
Sam was still at home when I painted this. He was being trained and groomed to perform and speak publicly as a local Saint, ‘One of our own!’, a footballer in Southampton FC. He had two homes, the training ground was his local harbour constantly training to one day go out onto the ocean and our house the place he slept. Until 2016 he left temporarily when he tested his skills as a ‘Shrimper’ at Southend FC. He returned and then took his chance to play with the big boys in the Premier League and Europa cup. He then set up home and now has his own partner and son. But he too has been battered and bruised by the storms of life.
So can you see the three boys in the painting?
I was sure I knew which was which but now I’m not so sure.