After an almost 50 year estrangement, a dear friend´s wife reached out to me on FaceBook. My P friend was deteriorating rapidly with Alzheimer’s, but his wife and I began following one another, enjoying pictures of one another’s families, children and grandchildren.

He passed away recently and this sweet sweet man’s wife asked me to paint his portrait. I chose this composition from a photo she had posted because of what it says about those suffering with this dreadful disease and their caregivers. Here he sits with his morning routine, at the breakfast table – staged so lovingly with all his familiar things; with his coffee and cereal, magazines and notebooks, planners and anything that might jog a fleeting memory and his bathrobe carefully draped over the front of his body to protect his clothing. And his beloved cat, Helen, keeping watch.

I was overcome by the love and care shown in this image. And I know without having been there, how very much love and care this man must have shown his wife of almost 50 years for this level of love and care to be her response.

What an honor it was to have painted this portrait. It was very very personal for me.