Anticipation

 I didn't set out to do a Christmas-themed piece of art. I was inspired by another artist on Deb Weiers's site to make a picture of someone I had forgotten about until Denise Malm's art reminded me. She posted this piece, remarking, "This is Miss Edna. If you attended traditional church growing up, Miss Edna was there, a little frumpy, but always in her Sunday best and a little oblivious to a lot. If you were to say, 'Miss Edna, you have a little birdie on your hat,' she would likely reply, 'Happy birthday to you, too!'"

I got such a kick out of the piece, because for me and my family, Miss Edna was "Sister Wilson." Every Sunday morning on the way to church, we made two stops to pick up Sister Wilson and Sister Crawford. Sister Wilson was barely five feet tall, a little bit round but with a long pointy nose that made her face look thin. She always wore a rather battered black felted hat and an old brown swing coat, and her wispy white hair was always escaping from its miniscule bun in back to hang around her face. Sister Wilson was a little vague, like Miss Edna.

Sister Crawford, on the other hand, was tall and skeletally thin, usually wearing a pillbox hat with a little veil and big shiny clip-on earrings, which seemed a little formal for her beige cardigan and subdued plaid skirt. Sister Crawford was perennially anxious and always gasped over my father's driving, even when he was going 30 mph.

After I looked at this picture of Miss Edna and another by Denise of her favorite teacher, I had such a clear picture of Sister Wilson in my head that I decided I would try to paint her. I have never painted anyone without a reference photo, and I must say that it's hard. This little lady doesn't look much like her, but has in common a certain heavy-handedness with the rouge and lipstick!

The way that it came out Christmas-y was two-fold: I was looking for some wrapping paper in a plaid or print to use for her scarf, and all I had was this Christmas plaid in red and green; also, another friend on Deb's site posted a 30-day list of holiday-oriented "prompts" for those who wish to participate to follow during December, so I was already thinking in terms of red, green and white.

So here is Sister Somebody, not quite Sister Wilson but with some personality of her own. I thought the saying was appropriate two ways as well: She was always too impatient to wait indoors and would be out on her porch, no matter the weather; and good things can be expected at the holidays, even if remote in nature!

Maybe I'll take a shot at Sister Crawford next time.

Pencil, Daler Rowney inks, Paul Jackson watercolors, India ink, white gouache, collage, black Uniball Vision pen, white Signo gel pen, on 140-lb. Fluid watercolor paper, 9x12 inches.