New art

My son-in-law loves to paint and is very good. This is not a painting, but a pastel drawing that he gave me for my birthday. I think it is wonderful. My daughter said he was nervous and unsure about giving it to me—wondering if I would like it. I know just how he felt. I am often unsure about giving my art as a gift to someone. You hope they will like it. You try to detach yourself enough that it won't feel like an insult if they politely thank you and then stick it in a closet never to be seen again.. But it feels bad anyway. Happily, I love this piece. I really love almost everything my son-in-law makes. I love the dark background behind those sunflowers. You can't tell how complex and and how beautiful the colors are because of the reflections in my photo. Sorry about that. But, trust me, it is good.

You might remember the wonderful painting that he made me for me birthday several years ago, of the Cuenca (Ecuador) market. I have had it hanging in our living room, near the front door. Lately I've been thinking it might look really great on the terra cotta colored wall in the dining room and the food/produce theme would fit right into that room. So when I finally got my new sunflowers framed I hung it where the painting had been and moved the painting to the dining room area. I like this change. It seems perfect, in fact.

I think I am a lucky person to have such a talented and generous son-in-law. If you'd like to see more of his work, check out his blog here.