Dad...

This drawing began with the rosary.  I started it at the hospital while I was staying there for several days with my father, a devout Catholic, who raised us in his faith. He was quite ill and needed a family member to stay at night with him.

At the time he was wheelchair bound for the most part, and sometimes easily confused.

Soon after he came home, I decided to add his likeness to the drawing.  This was quite stressful to me, even more than the thought of "messing up" Jesus' drawing.  If I made a mistake, I would see it.  My family would see it.  They would say, "That doesn't look like Dad at all!"  I was worried that I would miss the mark on his image, and that felt very wrong to me.  I could have told myself that it is just paper, I could throw it out if the image was terrible, but I didn't tell myself that.  I told myself that I could draw him, and I asked God to help me draw him.

I chose my favorite picture of Dad, taken at my youngest sister's wedding.  He was smiling as she pinned on his boutonniere.  I ever-so-lightly sketched him in, and showed my two sisters, and of course, my youngest immediately recognized him and the photo I was using for reference.  I was relieved slightly, because at least it was recognizable as Dad.

I spent what felt like forever building up the shading and contours of his portrait.

It's funny what you notice when your drawing becomes a portrait of someone that you know; the nose is spot on.  It's sort of the signature nose of Dad's family. I'm really proud of that nose.

And of course, as I worried would happen, because he's my father, and I live with him- I see every imperfection in the drawing.  His eyes are too big (though they really look very kind and gentle). At first, his mouth looked strained instead of having the hint of a smile, but I worked and reworked the smile until he looked more like the photograph.

And I was proud to show it to one of my family members, who said briskly and without further comment, "His head is too small."

This post isn't about what is wrong with the picture, it is about what is right.

First, that it isn't finished.  I feel that I'll be adding to the right side at some point in the future, but I've put the image away for now.

Secondly, not long after finishing his portrait to the point that you see it now, Dad drastically improved.  He has been using his walker instead of the wheelchair for a couple of months now, and his mind is sharper than it has been in a very long while.

The prayers that I sent up while I drew this were intense, were heard,and were answered.