Sandi's portrait was the most challenging piece I've ever painted, but despite that (or maybe because of that) it was also the most satisfying. I was taking care of my father at the time as he battled lung cancer. As his primary caregiver, I had difficulty focusing on this piece and my art in general, but I wouldn't have it any other way. As he and I grew closer than ever, he became my best friend (or maybe I realized he always was). I worked on this portrait when I could, mostly while my dad slept.
After his second form of treatment, he was doing so well that they stopped treatment altogether. The new maintenance therapy I found had no side effects, so we were able to go to appointments and grab lunch or dinner on the way home. He would enjoy his favorite news shows and I scoured the internet for new movies and TV series he might like (his favorite escape). He was doing so well that we almost forgot his illness.
I kept all of this to myself so as time went on the client who commissioned Sandi's portrait questioned the progress and timeline. With Dad so improved, I focused back on it and began sharing photos and videos of the process.
In addition to the task of balancing my time, figuring out how to capture Sandi's athletic prowess in the sunglasses was a new challenge. Once I got Sandi's likeness the process became much easier, as is the case with all my portraits. We were cruising right along until my dad developed an upper respiratory infection: 911, ER, ICU. He passed on March 27, 2017.
Before my dad went, my favorite doctor looked at his chart and couldn't believe the diagnosis had been stage 4 lung cancer and that it had been about 5 years. I felt grateful for that "bonus" time as we became so close - thanks to God. This portrait will always remind me of the richness of those challenges.
