a treasured masterpiece

this pastel drawing hangs in my home and is one of my most treasured pieces of artwork. the artist is not famous. he never had a showing at a gallery nor sold a painting at a prestigious auction. but this simple drawing is a treasure. it speaks volumes to me about faith, love, and perseverance.


the artist was my gran'dad.




he was an amazing man, overcoming many difficulties as a child. his mother died when he was only 4 years old. and when he was 5 his stepmother, not wanting the burden of caring for him and his sister, put them in an orphanage. he only achieved an 8th grade education before entering the work force. but he lived in a time when hard work could mean more than education. he married the love of his life and they built a wonderful life. he came to know the Lord as an adult, brought to faith by the loving example and testimony of my grandmom. they brought up 3 daughters and had many grandchildren and great grandchildren.

in 1969 he suffered a stroke which left him paralyzed on his right side. ironically, gran'dad was left handed, but taught in school that it was only correct to write with your right hand. with difficulty he learned to switch. now, he had to relearn to use his left. this pastel drawing was done using his left hand, a kind of therapy for him. so i see in this painting his love of art and the garden; perseverance and optimism. as a child i was always so fascinated with his boxes of pastels and sketch pads. i like to think i got my love of art from him and i pray that when times are tough i will follow his example of perserverance.

everyday gift: gran'dad's legacy