A gift for my grandparents
With You, 12” x 12”, acrylic on canvas
On the day my website and shop officially launched, I stopped at my parent's house that evening to pick something up and also say hi to my grandparents, who were in town.
It was a casual visit; they only live about an hour away.
Everyone had just finished eating dinner and sat around my parents' table chatting.
When I sat down, my mom looked across the table at me with an expressive face and said, "you just missed it – your grandparents and dad and sister were all just discussing which of the paintings on your new website were their favorites. It was so cute."
My heart melted. The conversation circled back, and I leaned over to my grandma to ask what was catching her eye that day.
It's not lost on me how lucky I am to be a part of a family that not only encourages my pursuits to be an artist but also finds enjoyment in my work and celebrates my progress.
They're special people, and I'm grateful for them.
So my grandma opens up her phone and starts scrolling through my shop, stopping to point out her admiration of the color palette for Study of a Shell and the cleanliness of my hard-edge paintings.
She said, "I really love these blue colors that you're using, but I like the geometric paintings because they just make more sense to me in my mind."
I thought the fact that she had considered this was the sweetest.
On Christmas, I handed my grandma a box with this painting inside. She had only uncovered 50% of the piece from its wrapping before looking up at me with bright eyes and said, "you painted exactly what I wanted"!
In a letter I wrote for them to go with the gift, I made sure to let them know that its significance goes even beyond the colors and style I knew they'd both enjoy.
At first sight, this painting's composition feels symbolic of my grandma's radiating joy.
That woman's optimism is almost comical – she brings a sunny outlook to just about every scenario, and it never fails to make me smile or laugh.
The cross structure at the center of the piece reminds me of their faith.
My grandparent's love for the Lord is an unwavering pillar in their lives. They do a beautiful job of representing and sharing the love of Jesus with their family and community on a daily basis. And I really appreciate that about them.
As I stare into this painting and linger on the cross, it reminds me to keep seeking Jesus amid my circumstances – something my grandparents have modeled well in their lives and often encouraged me to do.
Of course, the more time I spend looking at the piece, the more I uncover.
If you pay attention to the number of squares, you’ll notice that there are seven on each side - a symbolic number in Christianity that represents completion and wholeness.
There’s a zoomed-in, almost pixel-like composition, which could point to the importance of focusing on the precious details in life and being present.
I could even comment on the gradient of paint and how, in some ways, this piece reminds me of a woven blanket and the feelings of comfort and stability that align with this symbol of home.
The potential to derive so much meaning from a simple composition of 49 squares fills my heart. The depth of this painting moves me to slow down, pause, and keep listening to what my paintings are saying.
With You lives in my grandparents' house now, but I plan on making more like it.
The composition is something that I'd love to keep exploring and sharing in the new year.
