The Lambertville Lachlan
 

Oil on linen, 24" x 20", 2001/2004

Unexpectedly, yesterday this informal portrait of my daughter, representing her at age three, was sold.

The pose was spontaneous, but my camera had been at hand. Later there was some brief cooperation for some live final adjustments as she simultaneously crayoned her own images.

The patrons remembered viewing this at a gallery several years back and decided they had to have it. Now there is a void upon my walls. I guess it's time for another portrait.

Garth

So rarely do we get to experience true ambivalence!

It is indeed spontaneous, and, I feel, loaded with stories to tell. I can see why they have been unable to forget this portrait for years. I love the loose painterly treatment in her hair.

So go paint another one!

Garth, she's so sweet -- You must miss this little painting!

What a beautiful little painting!! I love your restraint with the color in this one. And it has a Bouguereau kind of surface shimmer to it. Love it! Chris is right: paint another one.

Precious and priceless
 

As I know how few paintings that I care to hang on to , I feel this little gem must have been one you were loathe to sell.

I love the color of her clothing against the neutral geometry of the fence.

Thanks Chris and Terri so much for your kind words. I do miss this painting. My daughter looks so much different now; tall and skinny. I'd still like to get her cooperation for an updated portrait. She'd be a bit of a challenge now.

Garth

Thanks so much David, and Sharon. You are so encouraging to me. Since I had looked at this hanging on the wall every day, I could not be objective as to whether it contained any merit or not as a painting, but being of my daughter at an age that has passed, it held a lot of personal value to me. With your encouragement I may find a way to explore painting another similar portrait.

Garth

This is truly captivating.

I can understand the 'torn' feeling. I use my children for paintings also. Usually I dont feel attached, but if it stays on the walls awhile they start to feel like 'part of the family'.

We should all go and paint our children every chance we get - maybe we'll get to keep one or two!

What a lovely painting, Garth! And it reconfirms my own preferences in that an outdoor painting should have looser, fresher, more "shimmery" brushwork than does an indoor painting. I also love all the movement in the painting - the diagonals add a lot of interest. No surprise that this sold!

I think the sale of this ushers in the need to revisit how your daughter looks to you through your "artist's eyes", as opposed to your "daddy eyes."

Great expressiveness abounds in this piece. She seems to say, "You done yet? 'Cuz I'm goin'!" Wonderful movement in the design and brushwork.

I regret to say that I have not painted my children. Seeing this piece tells me I'd better get on it.