Last year in October, I was approached to do a sunflower painting for someone's wife as a Christmas gift. The goal was to have the best-decorated house ever and even ordered some custom ornaments along with this painting. He stated that his wife's favourite flower is a sunflower and that they were moving into a new home, and wanted a piece of real art to be the centrepiece of their living room. We discussed many ideas and came up with this.
As time went on, so did the progress of this painting. Like any other commission, I sent progress pictures, and when I was nearing the end of this painting, he had told me this is a one of a kind gift for his wife as she continues to discover who she is.
This painting is one of my largest commissions yet, and one of the biggest learning curves in my art. When I paint, my mind goes free, and I enjoy every moment that I get the chance to create art. This painting has made me realize that this hobby I have is a gift. A gift that I cannot explain how thankful I am to be able to experience, and sometimes I forget how blessed I am to have it. This painting has captured every goal I have for my art which is to simplify communication, elevate experiences, and inspire. I wish to continue to do these things and learn about the beautiful stories that are inspired and expressed by my paintings. It's the art of making something beautiful together.
As Christmas came around, the gift was sent to the customer, and she wrote a very beautiful story/review of my painting and the meaning it has to her.
"I absolutely love it. When my husband presented it, he cried. You captured absolutely everything I am. It is hung with pride and a reminder of who I am when the dark clouds roll in.
Thank you so much for your beautiful work. It's a very emotional piece for both me and my husband. I have always referred to myself as a mom. For years my husband would ask " who is Jessica" I always said, mom.
This year after a long battle with mental health issues and health issues, I found myself. He asked, " who is Jessica?" I replied I am strong, creative, resilient, soft, spiritual, loving, caring, and emotional I am a hippie soul!
As he unwrapped it, he began tearing up and said for years I asked who you are, and you always said just mom. This year you gave yourself an identity other than a mom."
The part of making something beautiful together is doing what I love most which is to paint and create art; painting this sunflower. Sunflowers are not called sunflowers for random reasons they have petals that radiate from the center like the sun and can follow the sun's movement across the sky. Jessica explained how powerful her favourite flower and the colours in this painting means to her
"Sunflowers are my favourite because they turn away from the darkness and face the light.
Red is the power, fire, and fight I have in me.
Yellow is brightness, the calm, the sun that balances the fire on me.
Hippie soul because I love to love. I want everyone to love and be loved.
You captured everything I am and feel.
The peace sign... what hippie wouldn't identify with the peace sign. I want inner peace with myself and the people I love."
As this painting sits in their new home, she mentions that every morning she will start her morning by standing in front of it and reminding herself of who she is. She reminds herself when looking at this painting that she is more than her illness, more than just a mom.
"I am my own person and it's taken 37 years to find me. It's worth more then words can truly express."
The customer had explained that this piece is "perfectly imperfect... it wasn't printed in mass production, you can tell it has a human element. Part of you is in that piece... The world gives you what you need when you need it. She needed the piece, and I needed you to fulfill it".
Again, words cannot truly express the way I feel and the realization I had of the impact that my art has on others. Thank you so much for sharing your story and for giving me this wonderful opportunity.
With love,
Jocelyn
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