8″x10″ acrylic, 2012. When Aliza was little, her habit of carrying her bear with her arm around his neck caused all the neck stuffing to bunch up into his head. Aliza reasoned that smart people probobly had bigger heads, so she named her bear “Professor Teddy.” She picked him out herself as a very small child and he remained close to Aliza’s side through many childhood adventures and even through college. Professor Teddy now keeps Aliza’s bed warm in her old room at her mother’s house. This stuffed lamb, which belongs to Aliza’s younger sister, Zoe, once played “Mary Had a Little Lamb” when wound up, but now only pings out a random note here and there! Lamby was given to Zoe when she was a baby by a long-time family friend and has been her favorite ever since. Aliza commissioned this portrait of their two toys together as a gift for Zoe’s upcoming birthday.
Tag: family portrait
Spike, Kitty, Blue Bunny
8″x10″ acrylic, 2012. In this “symbolic” family portrait, the family members are represented by their favorite stuffed toys. This is one of two portraits commissioned by Paul for his wife Kathleen as gifts for Mother’s Day and her upcoming birthday, although Paul ended up growing impatient and gave her both on Mother’s Day! The droopy, laconic Spike has always been Kathleen’s favorite Peanuts character, and she’s had this stuffed toy since she was ten years old. Paul’s blue rabbit was a given to him on his first Easter. This stuffed cat only recently emerged as three-year-old Asa’s favorite, and Paul reckons that it’s because he resembles their own cat “New Kitty” (who retains his title beyond his actual newness!) I have the pleasure of knowing this family personally, and I can tell you that these toys strike me as amusingly accurate and appropriate stand-ins! Check back tomorrow for my portrait of adorable, red-headed, train-obsessed Asa.
Little People Portrait: Dominic’s Family
8″x10″ acrylic, 2012. Here’s another “symbolic” family portrait as vintage Fisher-Price Little People! This one was commissioned by Dominic as a Mother’s Day present for his wife Cassandra. In order to represent the couple and their little son Isaac with some accuracy, I took artistic liberties with the classic Little People designs. Dominic requested that I invent a beard for him, so I lifted the detailing from a Fisher-Price Sesame Street Gordon doll and then embellished the facial hair. Dominic typically wears a hat, so I took one from what I think is a Little People mailman and put it atop the classic, green-bodied dad figure. The only female African American Little Person was Susan, whose hairstyle was less representative of Cassandra’s than the standard-issue mother doll’s ponytail, so I changed the coloring and made use of that form. Luckily, a small boy figure that well represents Isaac actually existed. Dominic tells me that they might have an updated portrait made in a couple of years, as the family is expecting a baby girl this August!
Red Teddy and Scuppers
9″x12″ acryic, 2011. Here’s the second of two paintings in a multi-generational portrait project commissioned by Lynne for her family. While the first depicts the beloved toys of Lynne’s grandchildren, this painting commemorates their parents’ childhood favorites. Lynne’s daughter Julie was given Red Teddy when she was two years old. He was purchased by second-hand by Julie’s grandmother as a toy for her dogs, but Julie quickly claimed him for herself. Red Teddy was by Julie’s side through school, college, and into her grown-up life as a nurse and mother. Julie’s husband David loved the book “Scuppers the Sailor Dog” when he was small, and when his parents bought him this stuffed dog, it was named after the book. David continued to love boats and sailing all his life, eventually joining the Navy! Even though he ultimately became a physician, Lynne tells me that David would probobly rather be sailing than anything else. These two toys have witnessed so much of the lives of this husband and wife, making this a sort of sweet, symbolic portrait of the couple. Thanks to Lynne for a wonderful idea!
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Double Snuffles
8″x10″ acrylic, 2011. The worn pink noses on these two Gund Snuffles bears denote an incredible tale of destiny! These bears are the childhood toys of Katie’s sister and her husband, who are expecting a baby in September. Katie tells me that an uncanny thing that the couple has in common is that they both carried their bears around by the nose in their mouths! I wonder at what point in their relationship this was discovered, and did they immediately decide to marry at that moment? This portrait will be a gift to the couple from Katie in celebration of the new baby. Here is another Snuffles portrait I did a couple of years ago… apparently worn noses are par for the course with these bears!
Order a print of this painting:
More info about prints here.