Portrait

Years ago I tried dabbling in painting for the first time since elementary school. I decided it would be nice to have a portrait of the Mr. Max to remember him by long after he had left my life. Mr. Max of course wasn't much for sitting still and modeling, and I was too dim to think of using a photograph of him to paint by. I soon learned though, that the image of Mr. Max wasn't the issue- his face was forever etched in my mind- what was the issue were my rudimentary painting skills. Hard as I tried the best I could do was make Mr. Max look cartoonish. Still, when my painting was finished I was proud of my efforts. I may not have captured Mr. Max's personality, but I did capture something of his spirit on canvass. And years since his passing, the painting is my shrine to a soul who meant so much to me in the most difficult years of my life. The painting is displayed in a prominent place in the house although one of these years I really should have it framed.

I've been very careful over the years not to compare the current household of boyz with their predecessor. Diego-san is the only one who sometimes sits underneath the picture of Max. And he seems to understand the importance of that location in the house...