The Rhythm of Life, pastel on Pastelmat, 11”x14”. My thoughts while working this painting are summed up beautifully by poet Christy Ann Martine: “A mother wraps her love around the heart of her child, keeping each beat steady through the rhythm of life until wings take shape and it's time for the soul to take flight.” This painting is based on an old family photo from the 1930s, which was very nearly lost to time. After my grandfather's death in 1967, a small hard-sided box that contained his photo slides went to my mother. That box remained in the house when she sold it to my brother and his family many years later. It wasn't until 2014 when the box was about to be discarded that my brother offered it to me, the family genealogist. Most were beyond saving, but a handful were salvageable and this was one of them. pastel on white pastelmat, 11”x14”, watercolor underpainting.