Mysterious Ways

We've all heard that God works in mysterious ways, but it's still surprising when you get caught up in the middle of those ways. Last summer I had the privilege of selling my art at the Rocky Mount Farmer's Market. I loved being back in the old neighborhood, catching up with people I hadn't seen in years, and hearing stories about the different buildings I had drawn. In addition to getting to re-connect with people I knew when I was younger, I made some new friends. I began to have regulars who would stop and chat, and I enjoyed catching up with them each week. One such regular, Sybil, bought some of my prints and told me I should draw the old post office where her father had worked. I didn't even know what building she was talking about, but once I saw it I knew she was right. I loved the architecture, and it is one of my favorite buildings that I've done. 

Last Christmas, I drew my best friend's childhood home as a gift for her family. I loved that house. It held so many good memories for all of us, and it was such a sweet project to work on for such a sweet family. I posted about it, not thinking anyone would really care about the particulars of the house, but Sybil did. She posted on my Facebook wall under the picture:

"Is this on Falls Rd. across from what was Falls Rd. Baptist? I have goosebumps and cannot finish my lunch. If it was, I was the first child to live in that house. I think I was about 3, and lived there until I was about 10. My grandfather, William Ernest Moore, built the house."

Sybil and her husband had been waiting for their lunch at a restaurant when she saw my post. She told me that she nearly fell out of her chair. She asked if I could make her a print of the house, but with a few tweaks to make it look the way it did when she was a child. I told her I'd try. 

I worked as a texture artist for a modeling and simulation company before my daughter was born, and I had done a lot of photo editing in Photoshop to make the skins for different buildings in our computer models. I decided to try those techniques on the drawing I had done and see if I could change it into what she wanted without it looking too Photoshopped. I think it came out pretty decent, and she was pleased. 

I never get tired of being a part of these types of projects. I love nostalgia and that feeling of capturing "home" for someone. I feel extremely blessed to be allowed to be a part of people's lives through these projects, and am so thankful to God for the opportunities I've had over the past couple of years to witness His mysterious ways.

Sybil's Version of the House

Original Drawing

Sybil