A Letter to Mercedes

Props are important to my still life paintings. I try to find interesting objects at garage sales or thrift shops.  Sometimes an idea will force me to purchase a prop on the internet. Some get used on just one painting, others get used in several paintings, still others are waiting their turn to be used. Some may look very ordinary but are actually very important and dear to me. The pretty teacup was a gift to my wife from a friend and she knew the moment she received it, it would wind up in a painting. But as you might guess from the title, that’s not what this painting is really about. The top envelope in this painting holds a letter from my grandmother. She wrote it to me in 1992 when my wife and I were newlyweds. We had just relocated to Orlando, we were unemployed and paying a mortgage on our brand new home that we had poured our life-savings into. It all worked out in the end, we both found good jobs and we love the life we have made in our home. But being much older now, and perhaps a bit wiser, I can certainly understand the tremendous amount of anxiety we must have caused our family. Her letter is very sweet, and wishes us all that you would expect. I always take a moment to reread her letter whenever I use it in one of my paintings. It always brings back memories of her, specially of all the sacrifices that she made for me along with my mom. Looking back now I can really see and appreciate all those sacrifices more clearly. I tend to feel a little unworthy of such unconditional love when I reminisce. No one is perfect, and I’m sure she had her flaws but I tend to see my flaws as a grandson more clearly. I don’t recall if I wrote a letter in response or if I called her instead. In any case I decided to dedicate this painting to her, for her love and support of all my crazy endeavors.