Christmas Peace

Peace of Christmas 2011, Oil on canvas, 8 x 24 created for our family Christmas card this year.

This was truly a challenging piece or should I say peace for me... either way you word it... it stretched me way past my comfort zone. 

A few weeks ago my son Ray, his friend Chun and I were poking around Target, just to kill time before Ray’s dentist appointment. That morning I said a little prayer that went like this, “ Oh Lord, please help me with an idea for our family Christmas card this year..I can’t come up with anything.” And off it went... out into the universe, not even realizing that it was postmarked “speedy delivery”. 

Well sure enough I came across these magnificent metal stocking holders on the shelf at Target. I walked by once, twice, picked up the box to confirm the weight but it was the P and the E and the A and the C and another E that drew me in. I just love fonts, type, typefaces, letters.... all 26 of our uniquely designed alphabet. 

Ever since I was a kid, I can remember going into Koneigs Art Store in Darien and wanting to purchase their letraset Font book so I could copy the letters. The sales person refused at first because as she put it “this a display book for all our press type.. it’s not for sale, sweetie”..... but I was determined. I plopped down a handful of coins and the first few dollars I earned as a mother’s helper... and “sold” is all she said. I was hooked, it was my first taste of graphic design and still to this day you’ll find me glancing through the typestyle books at B & N.

It took about a week to gather the pieces for this still life and to get the courage to even attempt something, well, just a little bit complicated, to me that is, but it wasn’t until last night that I had no peace, a sleepless night again that I began this painting at 3:15 am and worked until 2:15pm. With a few breaks in between... I was truly in a peaceful state of mind as I could hear the birdies churping, the smell of cinnamon scented pinecones and orange zest fill the air.... my hope is it brings peace and joy to you this Christmas as we celebrate the birth of Jesus.

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