Title: Gabrielle and Wesley

This painting is of our youngest daughter and her husband. They've been married for five years, and ever since they married, I've wanted to do a portrait of them. It was my intention to have them 'sit' for it, but that hasn't happened. So, I went through the photographs we have of them from various events and visits, and found ones of their individual faces that I liked. That was my visual starting point. My heart's starting point was my love for them and what I feel about who they are.

When they met and married, Wesley had waist-length dreds. He went into the service and had to cut them all off, so he's just now regrowing them and they are only about to his shoulders. Gabrielle always wore her hair very long, too, but cut and died it for her older sister's wedding. Underneath it was black, and the top was this amazing sepia red, which reminded me of his hair when it had been long. I've exaggerated the hair color and made it similar on purpose. The amount of hair is exaggerated also. They feel like male and female lions to me, and this painting is intended to show them that way.

Gabrielle's name means 'strength of God' and Wesley is named after the famous preacher John Wesley. I wanted to show forth their inner strengths, their love for one another, and my love for them. I hope I succeeded!

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