I’m sure you’ve been too busy to notice, but I haven’t been writing here for the last few months.  I was fully occupied, painting a portrait of my dad, Jeremiah J. O’Keefe III (‘Jerry’).

Here it is, with a few words about my dad.  I’ll say more about him later, as well as about the painting process that greatly resembled the ‘perils of Pauline’.

Dad at 90 in Command Central. Oil.

Dad is a decorated WWII Marine ace pilot; successful businessman; member of the MS State Legislature; two term Mayor of Biloxi, MS; lifelong Democrat with a passionate belief in the equality of all people; philanthropist, having served as a substantial donor to, and principal fundraiser for, the Walter Anderson Museum in Ocean Springs, MS and the Frank Gehry-designed Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art in Biloxi, MS.  Last but not least, he is the father of 13 children and a multitude of grand & great-grandchildren.  Congrats on 90 great years, Dad!