Success!

After one more evening of painting the fully-erected mural on Saturday evening I got it to a place where I felt comfortable showing it to the public. Just a little color blending at the seams, painting over the Spackle I'd put over the screws, and filling in a few still-neglected areas was all it took. The sense of relief and lifting I experienced when walking out to my car at 8:15 was divine. I could go home and not feel pressured to head back to the studio apartment to paint during my free time. I could finally be home in the evenings again to put Olive to bed. It had been days since I'd done that and I was really starting to feel like the mother who works far too often and misses out on the little milestones in her child's life. Rob had been reporting to me the many words she'd been saying to him last week - none of which I've heard yet - so I really felt that much more removed from my family and life. She now can say new words like "hand", "doggy", and "toad", though I've also heard her say a pretty good "water".

Yesterday the church had the dedication of the mural. It was done in memory of two members, now deceased, Mary and Dwight Brown, whose daughter and husband came in to town just for the occasion. Rob and I were able to skip out of work to attend and we showed up as the pastor was leading a prayer and introducing the crowd gathered outside the room. They were all very pleased and I received so many wonderful compliments and praise for it. Many were under the impression that I'd done a small painting and were blown away when they saw that it spanned the entire wall. When I stepped away from it to see what they were seeing I agreed; the colors were beautiful and it's a great mural for the space. Children will love it.

My favorite part of the piece, the pair of foxes that were so effortless to paint, yet more successful than many of the other animals, I thought. Perhaps this will lead to a fox mural in Olive's bedroom.