Sunflowers

I painted this as a birthday/anniversay gift for my "oldest" friend Heather, who has been much like a sister to my sister and I. Her birthday was just a few days before she and her husband's 25th wedding anniversary. I remember well their fall wedding and the theme of the decor was sunflowers. Anyone who knows this couple knows they are the life of the party. I've often quoted Kramer, from a Seinfeld episode, in saying that Heather is "the straw that stirs the drink". So many friends and acquaintances I have met through her, and I know there are dozens, if not hundreds of people who could say the same. The union of this power couple have created countless other connections and friendships. Not the least of which is their four children, and all the friendships they have, and the relationships built with other parents, or through sporting activities, coaching, event organizing, and so many ripples that will carry on farther than we'll ever know.
So I painted this sunflower, and the many sunflowers in the background represent the life they've created... children and future descendants, as well as the many others who have become a part of their lives and inner circle. There was a suffocating darkness, losing her sister Dawn, not long before their wedding. But like a sunflower, Heather has learned to bend and twist toward the light... to thrive amid adversity. She has worked hard to emanate light... and to continue to bloom. It is a bright and beautiful world indeed. ❤