Pop Pop’s Path (Greeting Card)

Description

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I painted this during a Father’s Day weekend in Sun Valley, ID, while visiting my dad, who had just beaten throat cancer. I pulled out a small canvas during the lively kitchen chatter with Pop-pop and Helenma, and inspiration struck. Using sea-foam green, chocolate brown, and deep maroon, I painted a winter stroll that naturally included my dad. In my mind, he walked among the trees, wearing his little green cap and carrying his ski pole, humming Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World.” Originally titled Into the Light by Dad, I renamed it Pop-pop’s Path, a tribute to him and a celebration of the gift of more time together. Here is the letter that accompanies this painting:

June 18, 2023

Dear Dad,

Happy Father’s Day! This painting is of you and: for you. You are wearing your favorite green “ja-ket”, sporting your cap, carrying your walking sticks, whistling (ok-humming) Louis Arnstrong’s “It’s a Wonderful World’ while looking at the beautiful trees. While you almost pre-titled this “Into the Light; I officially renamed it, “‘Pop pop’s Path” (because I’m the artist: and I get to!)

If you were to die today, I’d want you to know that you are very much loved and respected. We are indeed not equal in our strengths, talents, DNA, gifts, looks, weight, size, brains etc, but we are all equal with our right to life and God’s one-in-a-million choice to live a full life. That being said, I want you to know that we are always striving to be a better human, God loves you just as you are. YOU ARE ENOUGH! Enough light, enough height, enough bright!, and of course, enough FORGIVEN!

All this to say I love you and am so grateful for the time together fighting the Big C!  You won! Woo!

Love,

Heather

Heather Mehra-Pedersen – Artist