Down But Not Forgotten

This 9x12" acrylic piece is a homage to my Uncle Larry and serves as a memorial piece.

There is a lot of emotion and meaning in this piece. He loved to fish and camp. He was a staple at our family outings at a place called Fish Lake in Washington State.

He knew how to make you laugh, smile, and feel loved.

In my painting he's sitting in his iconic red camp chair, fishing off the end of the dock with a couple of Bud Light cans at his side. He loved yelling the phrase "Dilly Dilly!" and had the most infectious laugh when he did so.

The numbers "222" at the foot of the dock represent the day he died - February 22nd - and are in his handwriting. I have the same tattooed on my forearm to remember him by. I still tear up every time I look at it.

The name "Down But Not Forgotten" comes from our name for our camping trip - Man Down. That name came to be when my Uncle Larry was inebriated at a live concert at Fish Lake and fell over, laughing and yelling "Man down!!" Thus, our camping trips from there on out were dubbed "Man Down Trip."

He went down for the last time in February 2021, but he will never be forgotten.