Pascal’s Heart

We are not what you would call “artsy fartsy” folks, with expensive art hanging on our walls — or the kind of people who linger in art galleries with a martini in hand, rubbing elbows with artists and enthusiasts — not saying that we wouldn’t want to do that. Who wouldn’t?  But, we really do love the art that we have in our home, and when we see something we love, we take a long time deciding where we’d put it (even though art moves around a lot in our home, so we can enjoy it in different rooms) and what it means to us.

We have a bright amazing painting in our family room of colorful flowers on a wooden table next to a bright blue window with orange curtains.  It’s large, painted by Rick’s cousin, a quiet, shy, very fair skinned woman, with deep dark soulful eyes and dark hair.  And her art is her insides, blasting the world with rich color and whimsical settings, so different from the shy artist herself. I love that contrast, and it just makes her art more meaningful to me.

We have fun prints that we’ve found throughout our travels, we framed a watercolor card of Pike’s Market, and, have many art pieces that “cause a pause” when people visit, and we tell the story, and isn’t that what art is? Story telling from the perspective of the artist, and then that of the people who hang the art on their walls?

My new favorite artist draws straight from his beautiful spirit.  One drawing is called The Bully, and one can see the petulance in the bully’s face.  Another is titled, Jasmine, with long wisps of hair, you can tell this artist is just a little bit smitten.  Pascal is a boy just turning nine, who suffers from Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, (TSC) that causes tumors to form on vital organs, and is the leading cause of epilepsy and autism.  Young Pascal had brain surgery when he was just two, and has some behavior issues, but mostly is a loving, sweet boy, who communicates what’s inside with his drawings.

His grandmother is my great friend, and she loves showing Pascal’s art.  She sees inside his heart and understands Pascal’s deep affection for, and reaction to, the people in his life.  He’s made drawings of his older brother and younger sister, and when my friend called to tell him that she sold his first piece of art, big brother, Soren, exclaimed excitedly, “Wow, Pascal!  Your art is famous!  You’re like the Vincent Van Gogh in the TSC world!”

The drawing above is my first purchase, and today, I am getting my second.  I love his art, I love what it says about him, what it says about his grandmother who embraces this little boy’s special gifts and shares his joys.  Oh, I’m not sure I can be moved as much by anything as beautiful as Pascal’s “insides”.

I’m dreaming right now of what Pascal will draw next, and who, or what, it will be and how he will view that person or that house or that tree or that flower or that funny grate in the street, or the curb.  I just know whatever it is will be true, it will be honest, it will come from Pascal’s heart, and it will tell a story.