“Caitlin” the Patriot is the second in the Front-Line Heroes serries.
I’m not sure why this painting touches my heart the way it does. Is it because in my heart and soul it’s meant as a tribute to the men and women that are putting their lives on the line with the COVID 19 battle and/or because I woke up Sunday during the night after losing our Sylvie thinking about creating this painting. It must be both.
A side not about our Sylvie. Sylvie was a Goldendoodle and found her for every home with us at 4 months old. She came from the same breeder that our other Goldendoodle Kozzie came from. She was born on my birthday, October 29th. Our breeder sent me a photo of the litter, there was this little white doodle, I feel in love with her the moment I saw her. It was love at first site. Oh, but she was a wild child, we went to see her numerous times, she was just so wild. I guess everyone that came to see her litter thought the same thing, she was not adopted and the last of her litter. Again, at 4 months old we went to see her again, but by that time there was another litter of little red doodles. My husband fell in love with one of the red females, for some reason we walked away. A few day later we decide to go back and get the red one, but that little girl had been adopted. And there running wild was my little white girl, tugging at my heart strings, it just had to be. So, she was ours, we picked her up a few days later, she had gotten her groom on and was adorable. LOL still the wild child but oh so adorable and she was home with her new family, us. Oh, that baby got into so much trouble, lol she loved and was addicted to paper. One time I had to sign an affidavit that she truly did eat my paycheck. Well truth be known she ate several paychecks, pieces of mail and so many rolls of toilet paper. Every room in our home had baby gates to keep our rascal Sylvie out. She would have turn 16 this year on my birthday. We had to make the hardest decision of a pet owner; we couldn’t let her suffer. We just couldn’t. Sylvie went to be with her sister Kozzie on July 19th, my heart still aches for her.
Back to this painting and how this one came about and the feelings that went into this one. When a friend saw the painting completed, which was done after we lost our little four-legged girl, she said she could see my grief in it. I don’t know if its grief, sadness or the hope for a more peaceful loving world. I do hope in some small way my art, this piece touches someone and makes a difference. With this painting I dreamt about it, I’m sure Sylvie was a part of it, but I could see this painting as if it was already painted. I knew Caitlin had gone out to see the flag that the Firemen had hoisted to thank the staff at the hospital. I saw the flag in the painting, I saw that the colors use throughout the painting were red, white and blue. I saw this painting in my dreams the night we lost our baby girl. I’m sure that grief helped drive my hand in painting this piece. I know that painting this piece was therapy and help to deal with her loss. The world is in such a crazy state, there is so much that everyone is dealing with, so much stress and tension. I hope when people see this patriotic painting, they will remember what the USA is really all about. I hope again in some small way this piece brings some joy and peace to the viewer. With this painting, how this one and the first one has touched my heart, I know I want and need to complete a series of this type of art, thanking our Front-Line Heroes.
“Caitlin” the Patrioti was done using Brusho on Arches archival watercolor paper 11″ X 14″.
Knowing that I want to do a series of our Front-Line Heroes. I’m looking for photos, so if anyone has a photo of a family member, friend or knows of a photo of a person dealing with the pandemic and I can use it to create a painting. Please contact me so I can get a copy of the photo(s). If the paintings turn out and they are wanted by the person or family member in the painting they are yours. I only ask that you pay for the shipping and I can keep the paintings for a while.
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