Sunday, September 29, 2024

Sunday, September 29, 2024

Tonight's picture was taken in October of 2004. This was Mattie and his preschool class. Mattie lasted at this particular school for two months and then he was asked to leave. That should tell you volumes about that school! 

Mattie was two and a half years old and we went to a pumpkin patch that day. Naturally I was not going to let Mattie go on this trip without my presence, as I knew the school director had it out for Mattie. The only reason I think she kept him for two months was because every time she called me into school to complain about Mattie, I would basically listen to her and be a therapeutic sounding board. However, one day Mattie bit a teacher and a student, and when the director called me into the school, she asked for my permission to put soap in Mattie's mouth. It was at that point that I gave her a lecture about corporal punishment being ineffective in child rearing and that it was also illegal in Washington, DC. Naturally all of that was the final straw. 

Quote of the day: Love is never supposed to hurt. Love is supposed to heal, to be your haven from misery, to make living worthwhile. ~ Mia Asher

In 2023, I had the wonderful opportunity to get to know a local artist. I met her through the Vale Arts Show, which is an annual event. I absolutely love Kim Richards' work. I have four smaller paintings of hers and then the notion came to me..... maybe she could help us create some special pieces for our family room. Our room has a huge cathedral ceiling and since we moved in the wall has been blank. Mainly because none of us could agree on what should be hung on that very big wall. When I consulted with Peter and my parents about capturing the house in oil painting, they loved the notion. So for months I began working on this project with Kim. She came to our home, did many water color sketches, that you see here, and we talked about colors and content. In the summer of 2023, we paid Kim a down payment to start the work. Never guessing in a million years that Peter was going to walk out on me in September.

In September of 2023, I wrote to Kim and told her that I was having a family crisis and couldn't possibly continue on this project. My hope, I told her, was that when things stabilized we would pick up where we left off. Unfortunately my life hasn't stabilized, but only gotten worse. Two days ago, Kim wrote to me to check in on me. It was at that point that my next bright idea came to me. I asked her whether she would take the down payment we gave her and complete two out of the four paintings. I figured since we paid for them already, we might as well have the beautiful product. So out of the four paintings that I originally commissioned for her to work on, I have decided on the two below.  

This is a watercolor of the backyard that Kim worked on in the summer of 2023. I remember the day she came to do this. Peter was in the backyard, our neighbor was visiting with her children, and Sunny was prancing about. It seemed like such a normal and happy day. Kim will be creating this scene with oil, and I have told her the colors I wish her to highlight. 

I fell in love with this house in 2021, and even though my life is in shambles, I feel that capturing the beauty of the property will never go out of date. 

The second painting features my Sunny in the front of the house. How Sunny loved his yard and exploring every inch of the property. I am thrilled Kim met Sunny and has lots of photos of him! This seems like a meaningful tribute to my boy. As I told Kim, I am so happy she wrote to me this week, because having these special and unique impressionist pieces in my home will be something I will always cherish.