I am still overwhelmed by the “package”! I didn’t know that in addition to everything else, that you are an accomplished artist. Where and when did you get your training? Have you done other modern works?  Why have you hidden your talents?

I also do not know how to thank you. I’m at a loss.

This afternoon before I left for class, there was a parade of people through my office to see the portrait. The word had spread that I had received something very special and very unique in a VERY BIG and VERY HEAVY crate! (By the way, did you build the shipping crate? Do you have the skills of a carpenter as well?) Everyone was in awe!

I need to know more about your art. I don’t think that I have ever told you, but when I was a child in elementary school, I was a “Saturday Student” at the Art Institute in Chicago. I loved (and still remember) the lectures, after which we could go into the galleries to look at art. Alas, I was dropped from the program after the first year because I never turned in the homework (art designed to illustrate some topic). At that point, I was more interested in learning about than doing art!

I’ve always been interested in art and architecture, and early on ---still in elementary school--- I wanted to be an architect. I’d sit in class and draw house plans. Nuts! My peers thought that I was weird, and certainly I was out of step from what they were doing. Now I collect a little art, usually but not always pre 1960 modern lithographs.  I also have a small collection of prehistoric Native American pottery. Later I’ll send you some photos of my house, which is really just my little art gallery. I enjoy living with the art. The pieces are my “friends”. Enough about my art; I want to hear (and maybe see photos) of what else you have done!

Again, Saku, I cannot tell you how much I appreciate what you sent. It is very, very meaningful to me in a number of ways!

 As an aside, I am always interested in your commentaries on what is going on at home, often sad and disquieting as it is. In that regard, when I visited Larry Wrightsman this afternoon (Larry is retired and living at home after a stroke from which he is recovering nicely), and I told him about the art and you and your updates on what is going on in Sir Lanka, he went to a shelf and took down one of the volumes of his extensive stamp collection. The entire volume was devoted to Sir Lanka ----over 8,000 stamps---- and he used them to sketch a history of the country. Fascinating, and often sad.

 One final thing for this evening. I am very sorry that one of the office staff called you about the shipping expense for the art. When the crate arrived I expressed concern about the expense, but I didn’t mean to imply that she should call you and ask. Her calling resulted from a misunderstanding, and I’m sorry about that!

 Okay, that’s it for tonight. It’s been a long day and I’m tired. Talk to you later!

 With great thanks for your art and your friendship,

 David

 David Holmes, Lawrence, Kansas, USA 2015

https://psychology.ku.edu/people/david-holmes

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Meditation-and-somatic-arousal-reduction.-A-review-Holmes/c7c86d856599a7134d3bee82802365f45723e407

https://www.amazon.ca/Abnormal-Clinical-Forensic-Psychology-Holmes/dp/0131975366