Tranquility

I’ve shared on my blog before the respect that I have for the young people, of many different faiths, that go out and work to serve other people and lose themselves in that service.  The opportunities for service are countless, and deeply needed.  For a while, I spent lot’s of my time sending sketched envelopes and letters of thanks for many of the young people that I know that went out and served.  Other posts on this blog can be found speaking of those.  Gratefully, my own children have gone out and made that same sacrifice.  My middle son is currently on a mission in Colorado Springs serving the people there.  It’s been almost 2 years since he left to go and do that work and will be home in a few months.  This week’s envelope was painted for him and will accompany a letter that will be headed off to tranquil Colorado thanking him for his example.  I tried to think of something that is Colorado-like, and thought about the beautiful aspen forests that populate so much of the mountains in that part of the country.
This one is going out to him this week.
Done in gouache and a little pen and ink, with spatters of prismacolor here and there.

By their fruits shall ye know them

There is a little elderly couple in our neighborhood that has been very sweet to us and the rest of the neighbors.  Last year, she called around to many of the people in our vicinity and wanted to share the lemons off of her lemon tree.  She would ask, I have lemons, how many do you want?  After inquiring, she went around from house to house and dropped off two, or three lemons, or however many were requested, on to the porch of the neighborhood.  At almost 90, this effort was touching and inspiring.
Sadly, the husband of this good lady passed away during the Christmas holiday.  We had the chance to go to the services held for this good man to support the family, but I wanted to paint her a little token of appreciation for her example, and for the many acts of service that has filled up her life and that of her husband.
I thought it would be appropriate to doodle a few lemons, and thank her for her “fruits.”

This is done in gouache.

Give a man (or woman) a fish...

Over the past few years, I had the opportunity to work with a great group of youth in my church, and I’ve learned so much from each of them as they made difficult decisions in their lives and have moved forward with faith.  many of them have chosen to leave their homes for 18-24 months as a full-time missionary, in all parts of the world, to serve their neighbor.  Ive tried to send a little doodled envelope and letter to each one, and this week, the letter goes out to an amazing young woman serving her mission in Brazil (the same place I served my mission when her age!)

I decided on a fish, because I like fish!  But also because of the many inspiring stories including fish in the scriptures such as Jonah and the big fish, Christ and the loaves and fishes, a resurrected Christ preparing fishes for his weary apostles as he returns to give them needed direction (and nourishment) and many more.

Since she is out there serving in His name, I thought it appropriate to send her a fish as well!

 Here it is:  

Done in gouache.