Anastasia's Bouquet

I was inspired to create this sepia painting of my Polish grandmother from an old family photograph taken in 1915 on her wedding day. She was holding this amazing double tiered bouquet that fascinated me. I also wanted to commemorate her strength, beauty, and bravery for immigrating to the U.S. when she was only 17 with only her younger sister. I changed the background to reflect a sense of the unknown. Also, I recreated the flowers in her bouquet with my own selection of white roses because the bouquet in the photo was very indistinct. As a child, I called her Babcia, which is Polish for grandmother. I knew her, but not well. It was a very special experience for me to create her wedding portrait in this beautiful dress. While painting, I felt that I was renewing my relationship with her, even though she passed a long time ago.