Storybook Summer

Storybook Summer

16” x 20”

Acrylic Paint on Canvas

London, Ontario

Februay 11, 2017

Jim Kogelheide

Ever since I discovered that I had an ability to create art, I have created portraits of my wife, Joanne, every few years.  In fact, after the last portrait – created in 2009 – I put together an art exhibition that showcased all of these portraits.  My exhibition was called “The Face of Love”.  Some were paintings, one was a paper collage portrait and two were created using needlepoint techniques.

After 2009, our lives got very busy as we had bought a home and soon after, our son Devon was born.  During Devon’s first few years, the thought of creating a portrait of him with Mommy crossed my mind many times… but nothing ever materialized.  Instead of creating paintings, my creativity came out in the form of music videos.  I have put together three annual ‘Devon’ videos over the last three years.

This year, however, my inspiration led me to want to finally create a portrait of my two most favourite people in my life… and so the painting began.

I spent a bit of time going through my photo albums and when I came across a photo with Devon and Jo’ enjoying an elephant carousel at Storybook Gardens, I knew immediately that this was going to be the image to inspire my painting!

Usually, it takes me a long time to create any kind of artwork – weeks and in most cases months is my normal timetable for most art adventures.  This time, however, I pushed myself to create this painting so that I could surprise Joanne for Valentine’s Day!  This meant that I had only a week and a half to start and finish this art!  Very challenging!

I needed to find a way to apply the paint in a rather speedy fashion, and so I decided to use my ‘Wiggle Worm’ technique.

First, a fill the space with many wiggley lines that don’t touch!  Then I let the paint dry.

Then, I add even more wiggles of paint.

Finally, I fill in the remaining white area with even more wiggley paint brush strokes!

For me – art is mostly about the texture of applying the paint, and I really love the results of this fun and quick technique!!

One of the best experiences I had while creating this art was witnessing Devon’s new ability to keep a secret!!!

When he was very young, I would show him a surprise that I had for Mommy and I would tell him to keep it a secret.  Devon would nod and tell me that he would keep it secret.  Usually, around 3 or 4 minutes would pass before he would run into the other room and yell, “Mommy, we have a surprise for you and it’s…” and he would tell her what the surprise was.  Joanne and I knew that he would do this, so we would always have a good laugh, knowing that Devon could not keep a secret!

Last year, Devon got a little bit better at keeping a secret.  I had used one of Devon’s artworks to decorate a tea mug that was to be a Mommy’s Day present.  I had made reservations at a nearby restaurant and I had taken the mug to the restaurant earlier in the day to make arrangements to have it presented to Joanne.  After our dinner, the waitress brought the mug filled with a specialty coffee to our table and surprised Mommy!

Devon and I had gone to Joanne’s work to pick her up and take her to the restaurant for dinner.  Joanne didn’t know anything about the dinner and nothing about the mug.  During the drive to the restaurant, I said, “Oh Mommy!  Wait until you see the surprise that we have planned for you!!” and then Devon blurted out, “Yeah!  We’re taking you to a restaurant!”

Joanne and I looked at each other and laughed because Devon just couldn’t keep a secret!  I turned and said (in my funny Daddee voice), “Devon – shhhhhh!  It was supposed to be a surprise!” to which Devon replied, “No Daddee!  Going to the restaurant wasn’t the surprise – giving Mommy her present for dessert is the surprise… and I didn’t say anything about that!”  Well – I nearly drove into the ditch because I was laughing so hard!!! 

Well, this year, Devon has really grown up and he has learned how to keep a secret!  I involved him in this painting, right from the beginning.  I showed him the picture I was going to paint, we talked about monochromatic colour schemes when he asked why everything was being painted red and we talked about wiggley lines!!  He knew that this was going to be a Valentine’s present for Mommy and he promised not to say a word!

Usually, I paint in my basement studio.  Because it’s winter and a little cooler downstairs, I decided to paint this portrait in our dining room.  This also allows me to be close to Devon who is always playing nearby.  I’ll paint for a short while, play with him and then paint a bit more.  Devon likes to watch me paint, and he will spend lots of time working on his own artworks while sitting at the dining room table with me.  Sometimes he will draw in his activity books, sometimes he plays and builds with his Lego.  I love spending this kind of time together!!!

Each evening, about 15 minutes before Mommy comes home, I start to clean up so that Joanne doesn’t know what we were doing.  Devon even helped out by telling me, “Daddee, you’ve got three more things to take downstairs so you don’t leave any evidence for Mommy to see you were painting!”

Thanks for helping me keep this present a surprise, Devon!  You did a really great job!!!

To make this surprise even better, I had to be really sneaky!  Usually on Monday evenings, I get home from work just a few minutes earlier than Devon and Joanne (who go to our new store – Happy Tails – to close for the evening).  Last night, I rushed home even earlier than usual, ran downstairs to grab an easel and the painting, put them in the car and drove to our store using a different route than normal.  I knew that Devon and Jo’ would be driving home and that our paths might cross and I didn’t want Joanne to recognize our car and wonder what I was doing.  I got to the store and set up the painting on the easel so that Joanne would find it when she arrived, this morning – Valentine’s Day!!!  My plan worked!!!  Joanne was very surprised!

Devon even showed me that he can keep a surprise from me!!!!  When I got out of bed, this morning, I walked into the kitchen and I saw the present that he and Mommy made for me.  It was a lot of pink ‘sticky-notes’ stuck to the fridge in the shape of a heart.  Each note had a different reason why Devon and Mommy love me!!!!  Thanks, Mommy and Devon!!!  I love your surprise!

Now – you may be wondering why Devon looks like an old man, in this photograph!  Today, Devon’s school is having a special Valentine’s Day party and a ‘100 day’ party all rolled into one!!!  It just so happens that today is also the 100^th day of the school year.  All the students in Devon’s class were asked to bring in 100 small items that they will be using to create a special artwork.  I’m not sure what it will be… it’s a secret – but later, Devon’s teacher will send all the parents a photo of what they created using these 100 items!  The students were also asked to dress up like old people.  They have to look like they are 100 years old!

Joanne went and bought an old man hat and some sunglasses that she took the lenses out of and right before we left for school, I decorated Devon’s face with old man eyebrows, moustache and goatee!!!!

It’s so nice when everyone in a family gets to be involved in so many fun and loving things on the same day!!!!

Happy Valentine’s Day!