Volunteer Enchantment

This blog updates you to August

This year for the SAGE directory cover (Seniors Association of Greater Edmonton), I thought it would be a great idea to paint a picture of a volunteer reading to children in a library.

First I had to find a library that would be a great backdrop for the scene I had pictured in my mind. Then I had to find just the right person that would be great reading to children, find two children that would enjoy being read to, take hundreds of photos and then paint the scene on a 22" x 28" canvas. 

Finding the library was the easy part. Sherwood Park has a fabulous new library, and the staff were fantastic to work with. Finding the volunteer reader and children was easy too, but trying to schedule a photoshoot with 3 very busy families was the tricky part. Somehow it all came together. 

There were two families, one with two boys and the other with two girls and I only needed two children for the painting. Picking two was the hardest part, they were all so adorable. 

So I took photos of all of them in various combinations and decided to go with the photo that was best suited for the painting.

The painting took 14 days straight from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm. without interruption. 

My sanity savers to whom I will be forever grateful and prevented me from going cross eyed, were our two dogs, Abby and Shadow. 

They came and sat at my feet, taking turns pawing at my feet and knees, giving me those big sad puppy dog eyes, demanding a walk around 3:00 pm every day. 

Why the long hours? The painting was due by August 1st. giving me only three weeks. 

Phew I made it. I promised myself, that if I am asked to do the cover for SAGE next year I will start much earlier.

Volunteer Enchantment

SAGE was very happy with this years cover and yes I will be creating next year's cover!

Ideas for the 8th cover are already in motion. I will be starting this week making contacts and looking for some handsome faces to paint.