It's finally finished, the most meaningful drawing I've EVER drawn.

Drawing portraits has always been my preference and I'm always on the lookout for an interesting face to draw. I'd toyed with the idea of drawing my Grandpa Don in the past but never thought I had the 'right' picture to work from.  Until the day my Grandpa Don sent me his first selfie.  Finally,  I had the PERFECT picture. 

The Back Story...

Let me tell you a little bit about my Grandpa. He was born in 1929 and will turn 90 in May.  He operates at a fuller mental capacity than I do most of the time.  He is beyond intelligent.  He is a learner, thirsty for knowledge in all forms. He's taught himself Spanish, he reads history books, he invents gadgets and tools, he constantly strives to be as efficient as possible, and he is forever finding ways to make his life more simple. For example, he is on oxygen and to prevent himself, and my Grandma, from tripping on the tubes or from lugging a tank around the house, he's created a wiring system that runs through the ceilings allowing him to disconnect the oxygen, walk to another room and then reconnect. Simply stated, he's AMAZING.

The Selfie...

Being that my Grandpa Don is a life long learner and that he's always looking to try something new, when he was about 87 years old, he learned to text. My Grandpa lives in Utah, I live in Colorado. I only see him a few times a year. Technology was able to bring us closer. I received a few texts from him in the early months of 2017 and then one fine day in March it arrived, his FIRST SELFIE. It was accompanied by a cleverly worded, laughter provoking, political statement. Initially I didn't appreciate the true context in which the SELFIE came to exist.  When I decided to draw his picture, I got the full story from my Grandpa. 

I found out that my Grandpa took his first selfie the day his car broke down. He later texted these very words to me...

My car stoped in the middle of 3300 south. The picture I should have taken would have been of the 3 old crippled sisters who were pushing the car up the street. A young couple came up to the car they asked me if I was ok. When I caught my breath I said NO.

They helped park.

Marsha  (his sister-in-law) took me home. I got on the phone, called me amigo Roul and told him "Bring me $100, go get that car and take it home." I think he still drives it.

The Drawing...

I told my Grandpa I was planning to draw his picture last fall. Well, I didn't actually TELL him as much as I showed him. I sent him a picture of the very first stages.

ME: Finally started on my next project...doesn't look like much yet but I'm hoping to bring it to life

GRANDPA: Mom said.... Is she painting that?  l thought you were just kidding. I said --it will be a master piece.

The Process...

I started sending my Grandpa progress shots of the drawing and something AMAZING happened. This "something" already existed at basic level. You see, we'd been developing a sort of text message relationship founded largely on pictures of the grandkids, our love for books and my interest in his tin star making business. Back and forth we'd go, sharing book recommendations and pictures, advice and updates about life.

But something special happened when I started the drawing, I started developing a connection to my Grandpa that I didn't have before. I was spending HOURS staring at his face, trying to capture his personality with every stroke of my pencil. As I drew, I  imagined what his life was like, who was this person I called Grandpa? I mean who was he REALLY, like before I existed? So I decided to use the power of technology and my Grandpa's willingness to stay current to get to learn more about him, to try and understand why he was so amazing. I wanted to know his "story."

I started asking my Grandpa LIFE questions...I wanted to know what he was like as a child, what were his memories, what were his dreams, what were his experiences....how did he become the person he is today? I started asking but I did not get what I expected. I imagined I'd ask questions and he'd answer in kind of an interview format.  I underestimated my Grandpa. What I did not know was that, in addition to all the amazing qualities I've previously mentioned, my Grandpa is also a gifted storyteller. Through these stories, I have been able to develop a relationship with my Grandpa that as I type, brings tears to my eyes. The interview has gone back and forth, I've asked, he's answered....he's asked, I've answered. Not only have I learned more about who my Grandpa is and I've also started to learn more about who I AM. 

The Time Traveler...

Deciding on the title for a drawing is DIFFICULT for me and I rely heavily from the input of others. Early on, I texted my Grandpa asking for some input on titles for his drawing... 

Take that job and shove it,  Did You Vote for Trump?, Yes I Paid My Taxes

He suggested I ask my friends for ideas, which I did and of course I received many many spectacular suggestions. One of those suggestions came from my husband Keith. TIME TRAVELER Keith said because it’s so symbolic,  so true to time and the things your grandpa has seen during his lifetime. I ran it past my Grandpa and he was in agreement. TIME TRAVELER it would be.  He texted  me today to let me know that he woke up from a nap, thinking about Time Traveler and heard them on t.v. talking about Time Magazine.  He said to me...

I haven't been back in time, I haven't been forward in time, but I have lived through time for a H (HELL) of a long time

Next Up...

The portrait is complete,  the experience has made an imprint on my soul that is indescribable. In this drawing, feel I have created something great but I know something GREATER is to come. What could that be you might ask? Stay tuned for "The Time Traveler Chronicles"