Last week, a stranger messaged me on my Facebook page asking for a price on portraits. Her son passed away in a plane crash two years prior, and she wanted a painting to remember him.
I was determined to do it. For nothing in return.
It moved me. The idea that art could make a positive, lasting impression. Far beyond the impression of color and light and forms made by overlapping brush strokes. It could find immeasurable value in the personal experience of a stranger. It could make someone happy.
I was on fire to make that happen.
The portrait needed to be done before she had a chance to respond. I worked quickly. Over the weekend. Here and there. While the baby napped. While screen-time occupied the kids. While the household slept at night. And by the early morning hours of today, it was complete. It was in the stranger's inbox.
A response wasn't needed. But when it arrived, it was full of thanksgiving. And it felt good to know I did something for someone. To reach over and place a small pin of happiness on the timeline of another person's life. I image her saying years from now, "Remember that time the artist from Facebook surprised us with this painting of Jimmy? Wasn't that nice?"
I've always believed creativity can change the world. As creatives, sometimes I wish we had more time to do things like this. But for today, it was nice to use art to spread a little happiness.
