Expecting…

Yes, I mean “expecting” in the traditional sense of the word! Nate and I are pleased to announce publicly that we will be parents in December!

We feel incredible blessed that God has deemed us worthy to bring a new life into the world. We’ve been following the progress of this little child in my belly, and I’m amazed at the intricate way that life is formed… A beating heart at just 11 weeks, eyebrows formed at 13. Our child is now the size of a peach, and is making ballet-like movements in my belly! I can’t wait to meet this little one and see what God has in store for him or her in the outside world.

And yes, I’m looking forward to creating works of art of my own child like this drawing in pencil I drew years ago:

I would love any words of wisdom or advice people may have for pregnancy or mothering. I’m already learning so much from those who have “been there.”

The Perfect Mother’s Day Gift!

Mother’s Day is just around the corner. Mark your calendars for May 9th!

You may be wondering what to get the mother in your life this year. Have you thought about your wife and mother of your own amazing kids? What could a loving husband possibly give her to say “thank you” for the countless hours of love and nurturing that she gives to your family, for the sleepless nights, and tender care?

This year, I would like the husbands reading this to consider a gift that will blow your wife away and likely produce the good kind of cry. A custom, timeless portrait of her children!

Every year, I get requests around this time for Mother’s Day custom portraits. They are some of my favorite projects. Get some of my recent drawings below, and keep reading to find out how you can save over $150.

The Big Giveaway!

This year, I’d like to offer $30 off and 4 free 11×14 prints of a custom drawing to one lucky person. The prints alone are valued at $125, and they make great gifts for grandparents and other family members! I will have a third party choose the winner randomly from the visitors who comment on this post by March 31.

If you prefer, you may purchase a gift certificate for the amount of your portrait to present to your wife so that you can choose the reference photo together!

If you’re still looking for more gift ideas, you can find lots of additional Mothers Day gifts at 1800Flowers to find the perfect compliment to your custom portrait.

Watch me work in this entertaining video:

I have several more speed drawing videos here if you’d like to see more.

“Mine For A Moment”

In the fall of 2008, while I was planning my wedding, a strong, courageous friend of mine was fighting for his life.

At age 34, Daniel Smith was vibrant, healthy, and full of promise. He was finishing medical school and running more marathons than I could count. He seemed to have his whole life ahead of him. On October 22, Daniel lost his 6-month long battle against squamous cell oral cancer.

I heard the news after coming back from my honeymoon. I know I cannot adequately describe how this news affected me, but I will try:

I experienced deep sadness, sympathy for his family and the painful sting of loss, all of which is to be expected. What I did not expect was to be confronted with the fear that Nate could be taken from me in a similar way.

Life was now fragile and unpredictable….fleeting. Of course, it always has been, but now I had this new person in my life that I wanted to hold on to so tightly.

For days, I considered the possibility of losing Nate. How would I be able to go on without this amazing man in my life? But this couldn’t really happen, could it? After all, God had given him to me; wasn’t that a guarantee that my next 50 years would be wonderful?

As naïve as that sounds, it really is how I felt. The evening I heard about Daniel’s passing, I was struggling to balance loving fiercely with a willingness to let go. Then something happened that I can only attribute to God’s leading.

A beautiful note from a little boy

I just returned last weekend from a big art show that I participate in each year, the Holiday Mart in Jackson, TN.  An eight year old named Connor came through with his mom.  He was quite taken with the work that I had displayed, and he asked me lots of questions.  He reminded me of myself when I was little.  I was always enamored with artists that we ran across at fairs, amusement parks, and on vacations.

I asked Connor which piece of artwork he liked best (this is always a fun question to ask young art connoisseurs).  He said that it was “Eternal Song,” my painting of the old master playing the violin.  This is an unusual favorite for a kid, but it turns out that he’s a little mini-master himself!  He’s been playing for four years.  So we chatted about him and eventually he and his mom had to leave.  On a whim, I decided to give him one of my matted prints of “Eternal Song.”  He beamed and was so excited.  His mom was grateful.   Somehow  they tracked down my mailing address, and I received this tear-jerker of a note from my new little friend yesterday:

His mother appended to the letter, pretty much sealing the deal that I would need to re-apply my eye makeup.  Who knew that such a small gesture could mean so much?  I will now look for opportunities to make these “WOW” moments at future shows.  It was my favorite part of the weekend.  See the pastel drawing that Connor drew for the front of the card below: