The Lambertville Lachlan

[Garth Herrick]

Oil on linen, 24" x 20", 2001/2004

Unexpectedly, yesterday this informal portrait of my daughter, representing her at age three, was sold.

The pose was spontaneous, but my camera had been at hand. Later there was some brief cooperation for some live final adjustments as she simultaneously crayoned her own images.

The patrons remembered viewing this at a gallery several years back and decided they had to have it. Now there is a void upon my walls. I guess it's time for another portrait.

Garth

[Chris Saper]

Unexpectedly, yesterday this informal portrait of my daughter, representing her at age three, was sold.

So rarely do we get to experience true ambivalence!

It is indeed spontaneous, and, I feel, loaded with stories to tell. I can see why they have been unable to forget this portrait for years. I love the loose painterly treatment in her hair.

So go paint another one!

[Terri Ficenec]

Garth, she's so sweet -- You must miss this little painting!

[David Draime]

What a beautiful little painting!! I love your restraint with the color in this one. And it has a Bouguereau kind of surface shimmer to it. Love it! Chris is right: paint another one.

[Sharon Knettell]

As I know how few paintings that I care to hang on to , I feel this little gem must have been one you were loathe to sell.

I love the color of her clothing against the neutral geometry of the fence.

[Garth Herrick]

Thanks Chris and Terri so much for your kind words. I do miss this painting. My daughter looks so much different now; tall and skinny. I'd still like to get her cooperation for an updated portrait. She'd be a bit of a challenge now.

Garth

[Garth Herrick]

Thanks so much David, and Sharon. You are so encouraging to me. Since I had looked at this hanging on the wall every day, I could not be objective as to whether it contained any merit or not as a painting, but being of my daughter at an age that has passed, it held a lot of personal value to me. With your encouragement I may find a way to explore painting another similar portrait.

Garth

[Kimberly Dow]

This is truly captivating.

I can understand the 'torn' feeling. I use my children for paintings also. Usually I dont feel attached, but if it stays on the walls awhile they start to feel like 'part of the family'.

We should all go and paint our children every chance we get - maybe we'll get to keep one or two!

[Allan Rahbek]

Garth,

Lucky you , having such a lovely daughter. I bet that you will regret selling that painting!

When I opened the post yesterday I saw the painting before realizing it was yours. I felt it looked familiar, European in a way, somewhat underplayed or unpretentious in the attitude.

Lovely, very indeed !

Allan

[Garth Herrick]

Allan.

Gosh, Thanks! I am feeling fortunate, having posted this and having so many friends like you loading my subject and I with compliments. As a dad, I also feel fortunate with a daughter who's lovely and bright, although certainly most all parents feel the same about their kids most of the time. What had not sunk into my head before the sale was that an image like this might resonate with others too. Now that feels complimentary. Of course your own lovely portraits of your daughters resonate universally on this Forum.

I am fascinated by the complimentary "European" attributes you mention, which feels fine to me. What makes a portrait more European than, say, American? Since my family has been American for three-eighths of a millenia, it would probably be stretching things to suggest I had some kind of European insight and connection, as desireable as that would be. Although I admit, I was fortunate to travel all over western Europe just over twenty years ago. I suppose that had a positive influence or two upon me. Twenty-one years...... I need to return!

Thanks again,

Garth