My sister-in-law, had her first baby a week ago and as my wife, found with our first, not having their own mother their to lend support (their mother passed away from cancer in 2002) was fairly tough going.
We wondered on a possible celebratory gift and my wife made the suggestion that an illustration of her sister when she was a baby with their mother might be a nice symbolic image to have hanging in the nursery.
We arrived at their place mid morning as they were hosting Christmas lunch this year (with a one week old mind you!) and we snuck away to give present the gift without tens of eyes on her so she could react as we predicted she probably would, bursting into tears (nice tears, not what the hell were you thinking tears).
It really gives you a sense of achievement when something you have created from nothing can bring forth such emotion and appreciation.
Being able to present my art as a gift and seeing the happiness it brings gives me a great sense of satisfaction and I have had the pleasure of doing this a number of times now – The Heart of Renrut to my mother and Drift to my sister for their respective birthdays and now this illustration to Renata to celebrate the birth of her first child.
