Portraits of my Dad
Up at our family cottage, we have a garage with an attic that’s become my Dad’s fortress of solitude. Every summer, while my parents are up there, he retreats to that little room for hours a day. He’s a natural introvert, and over the years he’s created dozens, maybe hundreds of pieces that almost no one has seen. For Father’s Day this year, my gift to him was to finally photograph him in that space.
Not much was said during the session, unsurprisingly. I told him to keep painting while I figured out how to light the room, which is small, cramped, and unforgiving. One of the few things he did say was, “I painted the black one after I was diagnosed with cancer.” I had never seen the piece before, and now, looking at it, I appreciate the small glimmer of light he painted in the middle of all that darkness. Even in tough times, he’s always been quietly optimistic.
This one was special. A real gift to get a glimpse of him in his hideout. And now that I’ve seen all this work, I can’t help but think: this could make a pretty incredible exhibit one day.
