Portraits, and One That's Above The Rest

Our Hometown Museum

Yesterday was quite a special day. I had no idea how special it was. I've never been to a Gallery Artist Opening before, ever. Our family has always gone to museums and especially when our children were young and at home. We recently wanted to support our hometown so we became members of the Ventura Museum supporters. Steve's got our cards and anyone that comes down to visit, we take them to the few agriculture museum's and especially to our Oil Museum that has traveling displays; all somehow related to our town. We have wonderful docents here and there's so much that's been donated to the museums that a whole other building was needed to hold all there documents. Many people have joined in to document and take pictures and even have made replicas from original plans of the machinery and objects that didn't make it though the years, but need to be seen. Our town's history is important to all of us.

My Steve told me about his mother's event all this past week. I thought we were going to go see his mother's painted portrait at the art museum and I knew that there would be other portraits done and honestly chosen because all were filled with great expression. The artist captured their soul in everyone of her portraits.

Whenever we've been at this particular museum, we have chosen a time when few people were in the building, like "just us" alone. I thought it would be the same so I wore my ranch duds. My pants had mud on the front and my jacket covered my raggity blouse. I didn't wear make-up or even do my hair. Would it help if I said, I didn't know anyone but my family was going to be there? I felt so awkward. Steve's mother was going to be there and we were just going to take her picture with her painting and pictures of the family together. I expected my sister-in-law, us, and a couple of my children.

We arrived early and I saw a few people I knew and then everyone that was someone in Santa Paula was there and dressed fancy-do! This was an honor to the artist a "Gallery Showing" and I know her. She painted Dune's portrait. Gail's very well known in Santa Paula and Ventura County for her artwork and her paintings are sold for way more than we could ever think to afford. I must add her paintings will be those that are priceless. She's that good!

Gail Pidduck and I graduated together from high school and actually hung-out together at our graduation night at a crazy destination called, "Bowl-a-Rama" right across the street from Disneyland. I also now go to Church with her and blessed to know her. Gail's very humble about her art and I can't emphasize that enough. Really, her artistic ability is Santa Paula's pride.

I wanted to hide at the museum, I sat on a bench with my Visiting Teacher from church a bit out-of-the-way, but Steve was sent to get me when the whole exhibit room was filled with people and everyone was taking pictures. I looked at all the paintings. There were a few photographs and a few that were painted by another person. Mostly all were done by Gail. She's amazing! I completely forgot about how I looked and I just wanted to really study all the wonderful faces.

It was Dune's day and she had many compliments on not only her painting but about how she looked and it was just stunning. Dune looked so cute, she stood-out and she was beautiful. I realized how my looks didn't mean anything to anyone. Really, I didn't care that someone knew I just came out of the field, but my feeling was that I was dishonoring my mother-in-law and Gail by not dressing-up more for this event.

She is Very Beautiful!

I can't think of a more grand compliment to someone than to have them ask if they could paint you. If you knew my husband's mother you would know she deserved this honor. She is a grand lady and I'm blessed to be apart of the Lazenby family.