Ted H contacted me in
March of that year. Halloween was always a big event in their house as
their four children were growing up. Then in their grade-school years,
today in their thirties, they still had that special feeling for
Halloweens of their childhoods. Ted sent me a few photos as reference,
and even a rough sketch of his idea. Seems the family had long since
moved from that house. The snapshots were probably lifted from old
family photo albums, some showing the house under three or four feet
of snow. Also included was a very special photo of all four
children, seated side-by-side on the front steps. He added that they
should all be wearing those striped socks. Here's how Ted
described the scene:
We
have taken pictures of all four children in the same setting and
position, as they've grown, One common favorite memory is Egor
hunting for them. Awnings were on all windows other than the big
front porch window. I played Egor inside. Maybe my shadow in porch
window? I love moon, bats and witch, as their grandmother used to dress
up as a witch on Halloween. Only carved pumpkins on porch would do.
Ted told me that
he wanted to surprise his children with prints of the finished painting
as Christmas gifts. By then, I knew exactly how the painting should
look. My task was to re-imagine the family's fondly remembered home, and
the way it was at Halloween.
Working with those
faded snapshots, and everything else to be imagined or re-created, I was
eager to get started. My initial study-painting quickly brought the
following response:
only
one word to describe, FABULOUS !!!!! regards TED
I finished the painting
in April, and carefully crated and sent it off together with the prints.
I received this very brief note from Ted when he opened the crate:
HI, SORRY FOR DELAY IN GETTING BACK TO YOU WITH REGARDS TO OPENING
YOUR WELL PACKED SHIPMENT. EVERYTHING WAS FINE. THANKS AGAIN, TED
Well, okay. I sensed
a bit of tension in his note, as if he wondered how he could keep a
secret for the next six months, and didn't quite know how his children
would ultimately receive their gifts. Ted had to wait until Christmas,
but it was January before I received my own reward:
My
name is Melissa and I am Ted's oldest daughter. At Thanksgiving my Dad
said he had a great Christmas present for all of us. He usually gets us
something strange so I didn't give it much thought or even try to
anticipate what it may be. (He isn't good at keeping a secret either so
looking back on that conversation, I am even more surprised he didn't
sneak me a peek of what was to come on Christmas day.) My siblings
and I opened your paintings at the same time and we were all instantly
crying. Our childhoods were spent in that beautiful house and to see it
painted and us sitting on the step was so incredibly special. Then,
after looking closer to the amazing details we see Dad/Egor in the
window, the meaningful title and also our grandmother in the painting.
More tears were shed! I recognized your work instantly as Mom and Dad
also have your Strange Light painting hanging in their house. It is
Halloween year round there as Dad is a collector of haunted houses and
ghoulish items. It's not surprising your work caught Dad's eye!
I can't thank you enough for capturing cherished memories and painting
them as you did, Mr. Lehrman.
