Thursday, March 18, 2010

Big Art

I finished painting a special wall mural last night.

I couldn't help but think of the first mural that I ever did. It was a large painting of children, and small animals, and trees, and grass and birds. One whole wall in the nursery at church was covered with my early art. The toddlers enjoyed it for nearly twenty years until a room remodel was done, and the wall was either torn down or buried under new sheet rock.


Over the years, I have worked on a variety of oversized paintings and graphics. I've done huge numbers on garage doors and high-rise elevators. I worked on backdrops for school plays, painted the sides of trucks and store windows, and acted as assistant and advisor on a 40-foot long playroom wall mural for which my son had been commissioned.


It requires a different mindset to work on something close up, knowing it will be viewed from a distance. Scaled preliminary drawings, larger brushes, more paint, and a tad more energy are all critical for success in painting big art.


So, back to the newest mural: a large, white tree, painted in a new bedroom where a very special little person will wake up each morning. Grandchild number one will soon be here! We are looking forward to meeting you, Amelia Jane!


6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love this tree!!! For some reason it brought tears my my eyes thinking about Amelia laying in her crib looking at it before she falls asleep....Very special Uncle! Tara

Rosie Do said...

Awww! It is gorgeous, Dennis! What a perfect away to welcome the new little addition to the family. Looking forward to seeing it in person this weekend! :)

Anonymous said...

It is wonderful!! How special for Amelia. You are going to be the best Grandpa ever!!! love you Uncle

whistler said...

WOW! uncle, what a great job!! very special to have a picture from her grandpa right there everyday!!! a strong and sturdy tree just like her grandpa. what a gift! tracy

CousinK said...

Beautiful !! And I'm thinking of all the love for your new grandchild that went into that. Anxious to see it today !

Dana said...

It turned out so beautifully. I love it.