Thank you, Robert... Very well said, you seem very wise.... I Look forward to seeing more of your art work, and wisdom into the future.

Well, I felt I had to speak out on this; I've asked Omar to think again about what he said, and I hope he does. I think that though he's clearly an intelligent man, he's also a very young man - and I do wonder about the education some of our young people are receiving when I see such views as those: those of us born within the shadow of World War II or who have even just taken the trouble to read about it can only find the idea that the States was seeking "glory" absolutely, bafflingly, incredibly wrong. I have to tell you that I am an old socialist: I used to be an official of the British Labour Party - but I never thought I'd be having a political argument on an arts website! Anyway: the best politics brings people together, rather than divides them; I really hope Omar will see that - and maybe he does; other remarks he made in his post did suggest that he was trying to be provocative rather than personal, but he went too far. All the best to you, you're an extremely good painter: and even Omar agrees with that! Robert

Robert, thank you very much indeed, for standing up!... I do not expect everyone to agree with me, but there is a way to disagree with another without insults.. I agree with you, that Omar crossed a line. As I was painting "freedoms Battles" I questioned myself if should tie it in the way I did... The fact that I questioned it, made decide that I would include it the way I did, as an emotional expression. My grandfather and a lot of my uncles faught in WII., and I do know enough about history to know that Britain and the US were helping each other, and more than likely couldn't have won it without each other given the fact that Japan was in the mix... Many of us view Communism and socialism as an enemy of capitalism and the free market, and eventually encroaching into our US constitution from where our rights as a free people derive. Fascism was thrown in as another enemy, because Germany did much to control and run it's economy and business's, and too, was a socialistic type of government.... Communist Russia under Stalin was responsible for killing over 20 million of it's own people. Maybe all that Ive said here could be debated (RESONABLELY).. But most important we must always stand up for each others right to have and say that opinion, and you have done that here. You have my utmost respect regardless of what your opinion is.... Many of us across the pond, look at Britain as a much older brother that doesn't always agree but are still family... Good day brother A.F.Branco

Antonio = a brief word on the last comments about your paintng Freedom's Battle. I got very angry with Omar Bhattia - I differ from your point of view in several quite profound ways, but Omar has gone much too far and expressed a view that I have simply never heard expressed in this country: the idea that Germany was on the ropes before the US joined the war is just foolish, and I should be distressed to think that anyone in the US believed such views were representative of public opinion here, however much we may differ on other things. Political dogmatism can, it seems, make idiots of us all.

Hi Antonio the boots are beautiful...I've been trying to paint but with little success a lot of paper in the bin over this last week...but I have another piece stretched with the sketch in so I'm not going to let it get the better of me...I went to my class today and really enjoyed it very calming...I don't work on my class painting at home I would rather have the advice of the Tutor...Australian colours are so much different to the more temperate regions...I have put the work in progress in my gallery...the greens are very pale just now and don't show up in the photo but hopefully as I work further on it they will show up...thanks for your comments on my gallery...it's a long time since I've painted so it's all trial and error at the moment...talk later

Yes Patsy, the "Boots" painting is mine. Thank you for your comments on that painting. When I was in high school I didn't pass art class, because I was board. I did, however, love to draw, but mostly goofy silly cartoon drawings. I did get into graphic designing for T-shirts for a few years, some cartooning, and dabbled very briefly in a bit of water color and played with some acrylic paint. but that was a lot of years ago. I too, will go to your gallery again, and look at your paintings. see you in the blogs.

Hi Antonio sorry about that...just getting to know you the blog is a lot more informal that the Forum or the Gallery so we have a tendency to chat...had you been painting before you received your gift of acrylics from your wife? a really lovely gift to get...I saw a picture of boots and a guitar if that is yours its excellent...are you going to classes?...I have just started painting again after twenty odd years with a little success but I am now going to a watercolour, pen and ink class which is very exacting but it's just what I need at the moment to get back some of the skills I had in the 80's...I shall go and have a look at your gallery although I think I commented on some of your work when it was on the front page...keep blogging Antonio and look at others blogs and contribute to them that way we can all chat...it's good also to leave comments on others work in the gallery...for me I don't leave any comment that's too technical because I have forgotten so much...there is some beautiful work on the Gallery...talk to you again

Looking how I kicked of this blog, looks a little weired now, but I still haven't got it it figured out yet. It had a different intro, but now it only has a response I made about my first name

Hi Antonio...welcome to our crazy informal world...

Hello Antonio and welcome again...