Saturday afternoon in the park {Part 2 of 3}

Inside the A1A Ale House was cool and nice. We enjoyed a tall glass of iced tea while waiting for our lunch. I took the following image, and didn't see the reflection of the woman in the copper fountain on the bar until after I got home and put it on the computer. Quite interesting.

"We photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing, and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth can make them come back again."
¸.•*´¨`♥ Henri Cartier-Bresson

While we were eating D commented on a picture on the wall and how much he liked it. A vintage photograph of New York. A very interesting image indeed.

On the Rail

After lunch I walked over to the park to see what all was going on. D walked back to the car and sat on the bay until I got there. I still don't know what the event was. There were people everywhere. A band, with drums. Only drums. But lovely drums. With oodles of spirit. Made you want to dance through the park. They were dressed colorfully with flowing feathers.

"What is genius? - It is the power to be a boy again at will."
¸.•*´¨`♥ James Matthew Barrie

Somewhere between that band and the next photo, I teared up. The thought of leaving all of the magic that is St. Augustine just overwhelmed me. But, I moved on.

I have seen Gary several times before, at the Saturday morning Farmer's Market in St. Augustine. Sometimes I saw him with the musicians playing his flute, or pushing his bike through the crowd to find a suitable parking place so he could do his market shopping. I have never spoken to him.

Until today.

Like I said. I was in the park. They were having a festival. I don't know what this festival was. I just happened upon it. One of the many pleasures of living in St. Augustine. Music. People. Artists. Just wonderful. Then I saw Gary sitting near the entrance to the park painting. I almost walked by, but was so taken by the fact that he was painting, that I had to stop and talk with him. Soon I just sat on the sidewalk in front of him and enjoyed the conversation.

As it turns out, he is a man of many talents. An actor, painter, writer, musician. A modern times renaissance man. He has lived in St. Augustine the last 10 years. He has also lived in San Francisco. And he is a world traveler.

When I finally asked him if I may take his portrait for 100 strangers, he readily agreed. So we continued talking, and I shot away. A wonderful session.

He also gave me two of his pencil sketches! He says he is working on improving his face sketches. I said I'm working on improving my 100 strangers portraits...trying to not have out of focus portraits.

Gary "100 Strangers" #19

{Continue to part 3...}