Finished Products...

Here you can see the final version of the Tuscan and flower windows.  The small children with whom I had the pleasure of interacting declared, "I like your poster!" 

A documented process of the flower windows, beginning with green lines...

then adding lighter green lines...

and then adding flowers...

framing the door...

how the pieces interact in the space...

close ups...

Confession: because these I had painted these themes before, I began to lose the feelings of wonder and of magic that usually accompany the immediate and satisfying transformation of a space.  However, just as I was packing up to leave, some clients and staff walked in to give the work a review.  One woman just stood in front of the paintings, looking at them so hard and long that I began to wonder if she liked them at all.  I nervously fidgeted, until she whispered, "They're gorgeous."

Her awe made me feel almost embarrassed (I did not feel worthy of such admiration).  "It's like the flowers are just popping out of the wall and into my hand!" she said.  It was in that sentence she gave the magic back to me.  I had forgotten that I was giving these flowers TO her.  They were for her -- a small gesture perhaps, but an intimate gesture from the imagination and the heart of one human being to another.  The power of a gift, no matter how small, is not to be underestimated.  The way she received and appreciated the gift made me remember the one unspoken rule of gift-giving: there must be joy.  Her happiness in turn brought me happiness; and I thank her for reminding me that art is not only about the image but about the exchange of love and of humanity that each brushstroke holds dear.

New Haven Home Recovery Mural

Today I met with Carmen Brown and the staff of New Haven Home Recovery.  The location is rather small, but the kitchen -- where most of the clients spend their time -- was in need of some love.  Carmen informed me that she wanted to put up recipes and information about spices on the adjacent wall.  To compliment the idea of cooking, we decided on creating a Tuscan scene on this wall:

and putting flowers and vines over these windows:

While painting, I got to meet several of the clients as well as their children.  One four year old girl immediately declared her desire to paint.  I got out a canvas, and she covered it an abstract array of pinks and purples.  After she painted and wiped her hands on my pants and the kitchen chairs, she immediately moved on to some installation art with my tape, and then photography.  There were over forty pictures on her camera of her face, my behind (an object conveniently at her eye level), and random kitchen appliances.  Her energy and enthusiasm proclaim her a future artist.  Her masterpiece:

A cute picture she took of our feet and an artsy profile shot she also took:

Her installation art:

Two other adorable children decided to join the fray.  Their mother was less willing to let them paint, but they threw their hands into a container of open paint when neither of us were looking.  I hurried them over to the sink to wash off the paint, and they seemed to enjoy the process immensely.  Nevertheless, they continued in a vicious cycle of dipping their hands in paint so I would wash it off.  Needless to say, today was not the most productive painting day, but it was interactive. :) I need to finish the sunflowers and spice up the colors, but this was the result at the end of today:

(the perspective of this photo makes the archway look like a silly shape...but have no fears, it is more symmetrical than not)