Today is Father's day and I find myself thinking about my step father of 34 years Randy Tassler who passed away close to two years ago. This painting was done just before he passed. When he died and was dying I painted him a great deal. He still comes in my paintings from time to time.Painting him helped me feel intimately connected to him in a way I had never felt before and still does when he comes into a painting.
We had a challenging relationship most of my life but in the last few years of his life there was a softening in both of us and we started to really enjoy each other. It's funny that I can feel so connected to him now when I spent so many years pushing that connection away in our relationship . I see now that he and I had so many similarities that I didn't want to see before.
This painting was such a rich journey but what stands out to me about it most was when I was painting his heart I felt how much he truly loved my mother. He always had such a great respect and desire to protect her. I am grateful that I got to witness that all those years.
Happy Father's Day Randy! Thanks for being my step father.
We had a challenging relationship most of my life but in the last few years of his life there was a softening in both of us and we started to really enjoy each other. It's funny that I can feel so connected to him now when I spent so many years pushing that connection away in our relationship . I see now that he and I had so many similarities that I didn't want to see before.
This painting was such a rich journey but what stands out to me about it most was when I was painting his heart I felt how much he truly loved my mother. He always had such a great respect and desire to protect her. I am grateful that I got to witness that all those years.
Happy Father's Day Randy! Thanks for being my step father.
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