This is one of the very first encaustic pieces of artwork created bay back in the beginning of my artistic adventures circa 2006. A friend Dawn Diaz had just opened a gallery, Rikki/Massage space called Choose Love Studios in Wasilla, Alaska. Dawn had a grand opening where she showed her artwork and invited me to show mine. People from the community showed up including Sarah Palin before she was infamous. A woman whom I had not met before stopped in and she fell in love with this angel piece. How much? she asked, I told her some very high over zealous number, she didn't buy it, but vowed she would someday. In the meantime she purchased two of my other icon paintings; Mary Mother of Jesus and Gabriel. Yoby and I became friends, encouragers and admirers of each others work, she is a masterful writer, bonified genius and wildly mad, I love her so much.
As seems to happen to everyone I love in Alaska they eventually leave you either by moving away or moving on. My friend Yoby moved back to Texas, These days our relationship is mostly on Facebook and the phone.
After Christmas Yobs said she still wanted the piece, I took the attitude "show me the money" she did!
Peter repaired the tiny violin and I gave it a polishing, she is ready to go to her new home in Amarillo, Texas, she will become part of the triptych of icons I created part of Yoby's altar along with Yoby's other spiritual relics. Because of Covid it's been an extra tough year for many of us, but for Yoby battling depression, pneumonia, cancer and losing her dear brown lab Caddie. The angel is her gift to herself for coming through it all and being spit out the other side, happier and alive.
People like Yoby don't come along every day I am so grateful for our friendship, our elevated conversations, the quality time we spent together and so many other things she taught me without even knowing. Life is funny sometimes how things come around full circle this angel closes the circle she has moved on and found her next home.
