Saturday, April 24, 2010

My Inspiration

Whoops--fell off the world of blogging for a month.  During that time we had a totally amazing family holiday at Walt Disney World.  For pretty much my entire life I have been obsessed with WDW and this vacation did not disappoint.  None of us wanted to go home.  It's amazing the way the parade at the Magic Kingdom "Celebrate" STILL brings me to tears.  I believe...

Anyhow, I thought I would post some paintings of my true inspiration...my two children.

Tristan Jack Fernie was born on October 21, 2000, weighing only 5 lbs 13 oz and coming into the world at only 36 weeks (a month early).  I was not a good pregnant person.  I was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia when I was 28 weeks pregnant with Tristan.  By the time I was 34 weeks, I was put on bed-rest with washroom only privileges.  On Oct. 20, 2000, I was admitted to the hospital because my blood pressure was dangerously high-165/135-and the very next morning, my body couldn't take the pregnancy anymore, my water broke and our beautiful baby boy was born.

Tristan Jack Fernie, 8 months
2001
acrylic on canvas
18" x 24"


Tristan, age 3
2006
acrylic on canvas
24" x 18"


Tristan
2008
acrylic on canvas
36" x 30"

This last portrait of Tristan is one of my favourites.  It has been used in several online gallery shows and currently hangs in our hallway.

On October 5, 2002, our baby girl Carter Elizabeth Fernie was born.  Sean and I always wanted to use my maiden name, Carter, for one of our children's first names.  When Tristan was born we contemplated using the name then, but really wanted it for a little girl (we finally agreed on a boys name while watching "Legends of the Fall" together--Brad Pitt kept coming over the mountain on horseback with his brothers shouting "Tristan!!!").  My pregnancy with Carter was not much better than with Tristan, in fact it was worse.  If pre-eclampsia effects 5% of first time pregnancies, then I was the lucky one to have it happen again during my second pregnancy--5% of the original 5%.  I was diagnosed at about the same time as with Tristan's pregnancy, but this time I was put on bed-rest at 30 weeks--with a less than 2 year old!!  My mum and sister would look after Tristan for me during the day and would hand off to Sean when he got home after work.  I lay on the couch, day after day, hot, swollen and gaining 5lbs of water a week.  It was scary and terrible.  I was induced with Carter at 37 weeks and she weighed a very impressive 7lbs 10 oz!!


Carter, pig-tailed
2006
acrylic on canvas
18" x 24"


Carter, 18 months
2008
acrylic on canvas
30" x 36"

This is my favourite portrait of Carter--it hangs with Tristan's portrait in our hallway.  I've got to paint them again soon.


The Fernie Family
2008
acrylic on canvas
36" x 48"

Well--this is our little family.  After those two pregnancies, we were not going to go into that territory again.  Although both pregnancies were pretty terrifying by the end, I wouldn't change anything about the delivery of either of my children.  They were the single best moments in my life to date.  We're a happy bunch.

xx
J

1 comment:

  1. Yes, you sure are a happy bunch! Whenever we visit I love to see the artwork of my grandchildren the paintings can't help but make you feel happy. I can't wait for more of them...they've grown so much lately. Thanks Justine, I really enjoyed this blog.

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