The Wiggins
18” x 24” acrylics on canvas
These are my maternal grandparents, Norman and Harriet. Together they had 13 children, 1000 grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren, too many to count.
I was about four years old when I met them at my mom’s childhood home at “Johnnie’s Farm”. They were kind, wonderful and loving. I found out from an early age why everyone was crazy about them. They were always welcoming, warm and friendly. As far as they were concerned, their home was your home.
I visited my grandparents again when I was six years old. They moved to a new home with an indoor toilet, I was excited! Yes, the first house had a outhouse!
Their house was always loud with the sounds of conversations, laughter and music.
The bonus was the house was filled with the scent of “Down home southern cooking!”
I loved to visit my grandparents.
My grandfather passed away when I was about eight years old. What I love the most about my grandfather, was no matter how many grandchildren were running around in the house, he always took the time out to talk to me and he understood my quiet ways.
My grandmother lived to to the age of 94. She passed away about three years ago. What I loved about her was she too understood my quiet ways. I enjoyed our conversations over the years. The things that she would say would make me laugh so hard. She had a very good sense of humor. You need a sense of humor when raising a house full of children!
This portrait I wanted to make for years, but just never got around to it. A few months before my grandmother passed away, I have this urge to create this portrait of my grandparents. It’s a nice picture of my grandparents, but a terrible reference for painting. The photo is a little blurry. I knew I wanted to use the photo they took together when I was about six years old. I also wanted to incorporate the house into the painting and the North Carolina landscape. The road trips to my grandparents house was always epic for me because I knew we were getting closer to the house as we made that turn around the curve of the road and you can certainly see the house from a distance. That’s when I knew I was on my way home!
They represent, family.😃
