"Jack" in charcoal

[Cynthia Feustel]

After completing the charcoal drawings of the cast of "Oliver" the first week in December, I decided to gift my mother-in -law with a portrait. My husbands father died 35 years ago when my husband was only 15 years old. We started dating the following year so I never met him. In all of these years my mother-in-law has never remarried or really even dated. She always has wonderful stories to tell of Jack and when asked why she never married again she always replies, "When you had the best , no one else will do." She has very few photos of Jack and recently found an old faded black and white snapshot. This is what I used for this portrait. She called to thank me for the drawing and told me that she sat for three hours and cried and that it was the best gift she has ever received. I think it might just be the best gift I ever gave.

Cynthia

[Margaret Ferguson]

What a touching story and beautifully sensitive portrait.

I did the same for my widowed grandmother a few years ago. She got such a shock to see my grandfather as a young man , and cried for ages too.
I'd meant to surprise her but felt pretty bad to see her reaction (I was 15)

[Patricia Joyce]

Cynthia,
Sometimes the posthumous portraits are the most rewarding. What a gift you are, to "bring him back" to her in a very real way. A well done portrait, too, I might add. You caught allot of personality with a simple snapshot and I know that is very difficult to do. It is apparent you created this portrait with love and tenderness for your grandmother.
Congratulations
Patty

[Alexandra Tyng]

Cynthia,

What a wonderful gift, with a wonderful thought behind it.