Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Chris' Field of Dreams























This is based on my friend Bobbi's photo of her college aged son. The sun was low and I loved how she captured the warm glow of Chris on the baseball field.

I met Bobbi when she was taking the physical agility test for our department. I was immediately impressed with her positive attitude, wit and intelligence. We became best buds on the force often working together in the same sectors of the city. We had gotten to know each other so well, we didn't have to look or say anything, we just knew when it was time to go from talking to the taking down a suspect. We were some of the first small group of she-cops to work patrol together. I remember our male sergeant following us around like a worried mother hen one day because it was the first time 3 women were working alone in a sector. He finally learned women are much better using their brains than having to rely on brawn to deal with a situation. Besides her disarming quick wit, Bobbi was skilled at American Sign Language which became a huge asset when the Bay Area's School for the Deaf relocated to our city.

I was her maid of honor when she married a sergeant from our dept and she was matron of honor in mine. I was there when Chris came home and am now amazed to see how a tiny pink baby grew up to a tall handsome young man. She retired early when her husband retired and is also living the good life in Northern California. I am blessed to still have her in my life.

oil on Artboard 12x6 (sold)

31 comments:

Gwen Bell said...

Love this! There is so much anticipation in it and I love the moody atmosphere. Great style and brushwork, as usual!

Kaylyn Munro said...

I'm not a huge baseball fan, but I LOVE baseball fields! Especially when the slanting afternoon light makes the green grass almost too green to be believed!

This is a nice painting. You have great consistency in your images and colors. I seem to always be trying something new. Maybe I'll settle down sometime!

Carol Schiff Daily Painting said...

One thing I can say about you is that you do not shy away from difficult subject matter. And you pulled it off! Congrats!

Manon said...

Terrific piece!! The sky, his uniform, the field....... it's all eye catching!! I just love it Sheila!!
Btw..... sorry you woke your cat up!! LOL

Paintings by Irit Bourla said...

This is beautiful. Colors are superb.
Love the mood here.

Edward Burton said...

Great piece, Sheila. Love the mood you created in this.

Stephen Gardner said...

Great mood and color sense. Congrats on being part of that flying moleskine project, very well deserved.

dominique eichi said...

Wonderful light in your piece. You really nail it. I love the story with too.

Bobbi said...

I wrote a personal note to Sheila about the amazing job she did with this painting, and the nice things she wrote. I wanted the rest of you to know that all of us who worked with Sheila have always known whata great talent she is. Her suspect sketches were amazing! I do not know how she did it because they were always so accurate. I dug out a picture of Sheila and Chris, taken when he was a couple of days old and asked her to post it here. Thanks for doing it :) And thanks for being such a wonderful friend. You always know how to make people happy. Love you! Bobbi

Carol Horzempa said...

What a great story and a great painting...love your thick layers of paint and spontaneous brushstrokes!

Dana Cooper said...

This might be my favorite of yours Sheila. I get the feeling that it is dark in the sky with the bit of light on the left from stadium lighting...great job!

L.Holm said...

Look at beautiful you!! Radiant then and now.
What a fantastic tribute to a friend, Sheila. You're both blessed. The painting of Chris is wonderful. Home run.

Elizabeth Seaver said...

What a wonderful painting, Sheila! I also love to hear about your days on the police force. So interesting! Thanks for sharing both.

Suzanne said...

ohmystars -- tis hard to believe so much time has passed so quickly.

wonderful painting and story to go with it...

Michelle said...

What a great story (a fun photo of you)!

I like the perspective - the way he's looking out at the field. Also love the hazy sky and and the shadows.

Celeste Bergin said...

you haven't changed...and that is a good painting--confident strokes

Autumn Leaves said...

This is so beautiful, Sheila. Both the story behind the painting, your friendship with Chris, and the painting of you holding him when he was born. I have to agree with you that women tend to make up for brawn with brains in law enforcement positions.

Teresa said...

Friends like this are such a wonderful part of our lives. What a great painting to celebrate your friendship!

billspaintingmn said...

Play ball!
This is great Sheila! At first glance this brought back good memories.
Those brush strokes in the sky are impressions of tossing the ball, hitting home runs, the cheer of the croud!
Chris' stance is right on, you
got it!
You hit us all home! Grand Slam!

Nina Jørgensen said...

Thank you for visiting! This is a nice painting! I went to Washington DC last year and saw a baseball game, I had never been to one but it was awesome!!
And my course is going well thank you, Im working on a project and then theres my final project and thats it! So its a bit hectic at the moment!
Love the colors you used here.
Hope you are good

Dean H. said...

A well done painting, Sheila! I like the bit of light at the back of his head. Great value choices to show intense light.
Great photo of you!

Lauren Maurer said...

Love the photo to go along with this story, Sheila! And Wow! on the painting! You really caught the effect that the staduim lights had on him!

Kathleen Krucoff said...

Hi Sheila,

I so admire your work and you.

The story of you and your friend is so touching. I have a dear friend like that too. That is such a HUGE part of our life journey. I am happy you have someone like that in your life and I'm sure she feels just as blessed to have you in her life.

Thank you for sharing.

Marie Theron said...

And there is Chris not only studying the field, but gazing into his own future. A lovely story and very symbolic painting, may the friendship link continue!

Christine MacLellan said...

Nice piece! You can really feel the strong light!

Unknown said...

The colors work together so well in this one. Awesome job Sheila, as usual!

Anonymous said...

Wonderful painting- wonderful post. Brought tears to my eyes.

Linny D. Vine said...

Lovely light and lovely to have such a good friend, too!

Angela Elledge said...

Wonderful painting. Love the composition, all those zig zag lines really keep your eye moving!!

Dean Grey said...

Sheila!

I'm sure Bobbi would be touched by the painting and this post!

It sounds like it's a Field of Dreams for your art as well.

-Dean

Anne Marie Propst said...

Sheila, this is so charming.