Amazing Small World Story Through a Painting

[CameronBornAndBred]

Ladybug Landing
16 x 20 inches, acrylic

This has been one of the most amazing small world stories that I've been lucky enough to hear about first hand.
My girlfriend and I went to Tryon Palace two years ago before embarking on New Bern's historic homes and gardens tour. They open the palace grounds a couple days each year for free, and it is a perfect opportunity to go and take photos of the gardens that they have. I took lots of photos of various settings, always thinking about painting possibilities. Towards the end, I noticed this girl in this amazing classic dress, and I took a few photos from a distance as she followed a ladybug that had landed on her arm. She never knew I took them, and I never introduced myself.
I sat on the image since that time, knowing at some point I would use one of them as a painting, but wasn't in any rush. Finally, I decided that the time was right. Before I did, I posted on Facebook asking if anyone of my friends might know who she is. Nobody did, and my guess was that she was there as a tourist that day anyway. This is the photo that I posted asking about her identity.




I painted the painting, and loved it, and it found a home in a gallery less than a week later. That Friday evening was our local art walk, which due to surgery, I could not attend. But the girl in the painting made it with her family! The gallery is at the very literal fringe of the artwalk, so not everyone makes the journey, but they did, and they found the painting and instantly knew that it was their daughter on the wall. They recognized my name from a mutual Facebook friend, and her mom sent me a message when they got home. The mom is a photographer, and her daughter handmade the dress. They went to the palace that day to take photos of her in it. Here is one her mom took.




I told them I wish I could help out on the price of the painting, but once it is on the gallery walls, it is out of my hands. I sent her a hi res photo of it, and told her she was more than welcome to get a print made. Today, she posted on facebook that they went downtown and purchased it, and it is now home with them.
They are moving to Boone from Havelock in a couple weeks. That artcrawl was probably the last one that they would have attended for quite some time. They had the slimmest of timeframes to happen to discover the painting, and it happened. I love knowing the backstory of the girl, who is now 22 and married, and I love the extreme odds that were beaten for them to have ever seen the painting. It's one of those things that you could never make up. Here is the daughter, Victoria, now, and her next to the painting that night that they found it.

[killerleft]

Ladybug Landing
16 x 20 inches, acrylic

This has been one of the most amazing small world stories that I've been lucky enough to hear about first hand.
My girlfriend and I went to Tryon Palace two years ago before embarking on New Bern's historic homes and gardens tour. They open the palace grounds a couple days each year for free, and it is a perfect opportunity to go and take photos of the gardens that they have. I took lots of photos of various settings, always thinking about painting possibilities. Towards the end, I noticed this girl in this amazing classic dress, and I took a few photos from a distance as she followed a ladybug that had landed on her arm. She never knew I took them, and I never introduced myself.
I sat on the image since that time, knowing at some point I would use one of them as a painting, but wasn't in any rush. Finally, I decided that the time was right. Before I did, I posted on Facebook asking if anyone of my friends might know who she is. Nobody did, and my guess was that she was there as a tourist that day anyway. This is the photo that I posted asking about her identity.




I painted the painting, and loved it, and it found a home in a gallery less than a week later. That Friday evening was our local art walk, which due to surgery, I could not attend. But the girl in the painting made it with her family! The gallery is at the very literal fringe of the artwalk, so not everyone makes the journey, but they did, and they found the painting and instantly knew that it was their daughter on the wall. They recognized my name from a mutual Facebook friend, and her mom sent me a message when they got home. The mom is a photographer, and her daughter handmade the dress. They went to the palace that day to take photos of her in it. Here is one her mom took.




I told them I wish I could help out on the price of the painting, but once it is on the gallery walls, it is out of my hands. I sent her a hi res photo of it, and told her she was more than welcome to get a print made. Today, she posted on facebook that they went downtown and purchased it, and it is now home with them.
They are moving to Boone from Havelock in a couple weeks. That artcrawl was probably the last one that they would have attended for quite some time. They had the slimmest of timeframes to happen to discover the painting, and it happened. I love knowing the backstory of the girl, who is now 22 and married, and I love the extreme odds that were beaten for them to have ever seen the painting. It's one of those things that you could never make up. Here is the daughter, Victoria, now, and her next to the painting that night that they found it.

Not sure which is better, the story or the painting. Thanks for the 'light' on this earliest of Spring days! Winter be gone.

[DevilAlumna]

Ladybug Landing
16 x 20 inches, acrylic

This has been one of the most amazing small world stories that I've been lucky enough to hear about first hand.
My girlfriend and I went to Tryon Palace two years ago before embarking on New Bern's historic homes and gardens tour. They open the palace grounds a couple days each year for free, and it is a perfect opportunity to go and take photos of the gardens that they have. I took lots of photos of various settings, always thinking about painting possibilities. Towards the end, I noticed this girl in this amazing classic dress, and I took a few photos from a distance as she followed a ladybug that had landed on her arm. She never knew I took them, and I never introduced myself.
I sat on the image since that time, knowing at some point I would use one of them as a painting, but wasn't in any rush. Finally, I decided that the time was right. Before I did, I posted on Facebook asking if anyone of my friends might know who she is. Nobody did, and my guess was that she was there as a tourist that day anyway. This is the photo that I posted asking about her identity.




I painted the painting, and loved it, and it found a home in a gallery less than a week later. That Friday evening was our local art walk, which due to surgery, I could not attend. But the girl in the painting made it with her family! The gallery is at the very literal fringe of the artwalk, so not everyone makes the journey, but they did, and they found the painting and instantly knew that it was their daughter on the wall. They recognized my name from a mutual Facebook friend, and her mom sent me a message when they got home. The mom is a photographer, and her daughter handmade the dress. They went to the palace that day to take photos of her in it. Here is one her mom took.




I told them I wish I could help out on the price of the painting, but once it is on the gallery walls, it is out of my hands. I sent her a hi res photo of it, and told her she was more than welcome to get a print made. Today, she posted on facebook that they went downtown and purchased it, and it is now home with them.
They are moving to Boone from Havelock in a couple weeks. That artcrawl was probably the last one that they would have attended for quite some time. They had the slimmest of timeframes to happen to discover the painting, and it happened. I love knowing the backstory of the girl, who is now 22 and married, and I love the extreme odds that were beaten for them to have ever seen the painting. It's one of those things that you could never make up. Here is the daughter, Victoria, now, and her next to the painting that night that they found it.

Great story - I'd seen bits and pieces via your FB, but glad to get the whole of it. Lovely painting, and I'm sure the family is thrilled to have it.