Where do you look first, last, and the longest?
It's the eyes, right? Why is that? My husband and I have the privilege of taking care of the infants and toddlers in our church for an hour each week. And I've noticed that even a baby of a few weeks old knows that it's all about the eyes! They instinctively stare directly into their caregiver's eyes.
As I was scrutinizing each square inch of this painting, I realized I kept going back to the eyes. Not fair that one square inch should demand so much attention! I worked really hard those pumpkins and that hay and those stripes on his shirt!
Once I decided that I'd done the best I could on my own, I took it to my painting mentor. She admired it, complimented this and that, praised things that I'd done well... Then politely furrowed her brow and pursed her lips... I knew that I was about to learn what tiny (or huge) revision I needed to make if I wanted this painting to be "right." Somehow, I knew it wouldn't have anything to do with the pumpkins, the hay, the little clothes... "Let's see if we can scoot that eye over a little bit." Oh, how I love her for seeing what I miss and gently guiding me to get it right! (But, that love arrives after a second or two of an internal scream of "Nooooooo!" that only comes out as a small sigh followed by, "Yeah, I see it now. You're right."
And, in the end... look at those sweet little eyes. Those are his momma's eyes. Oh, how I loved those big brown eyes when I held, loved, and played with my first little neice! I'm glad this "Li'l Punkin'" got his momma's eyes.
