"Come Fly With Me" exhibited at the gallery of Carriage Barn Art Center in New Canaan. Original 36x48

This particular piece, “Come Fly With Me” was shot on my 1988 Canon in 35mm on a balmy Christmas Day. What looked to me like leaves on an oak tree were actually black birds singing north to that Sinatra tune while two airplanes were flying in opposite directions.

Thoughts of my mom came to mind. You see, at 17 she was huddled in a pack of 20 approaching the Austrian border during the Hungarian Revolt in winter of ’56 when they were approached by a gentleman. He said they were going back to the Russians, entering dangerous territory and if they followed him it would bring them warmth, food and comfort. It seemed out of the norm, and not the views of current society, yet they decided to continue on their planned journey and crossed the border safely. Syria came to mind, neighborly and closest to my heart…