Snow Leopard-Mother and Child
I came across this photo of a snow leopard and her cub on Pinterest via Emily Olsen's watercolor website https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJmcsSNRPYjXoh8EwmhXB7A/videos.
It struck a heartstring within me as I sent my youngest child off to college. 18 years of life came and went in a flash.
I finished painting mom and cub this morning just as my youngest child was taking her first college class. I thought I was prepared for this. I had already been through this twice after all.
But I was wrong.
I fooled myself into believing that she would commute more than she would stay on campus since we live within 40 minutes of the college. When she said she was staying the first night, I was gobsmacked. I was not ready!
I came home without her, thinking she would call to come home as it neared bedtime. But she said she had to get used to her dorm room sometime so she might as well start now. Oh how I felt that! I was so proud of her and yet, thoughts rushed through my mind such as:
She wanted dippy eggs for breakfast that morning, and I broke a yoke on one of them. She said no worries, but I wish I had thrown it out and fixed her another.
She wanted to go for a walk during the cool hours of early morning and I was so glad that we did that. We often walk morning and evening during summer. I can still hear her say, Mom, wanna walk with me?
All of the things that we think of as parents came rushing into my mind. All the things we worry about when suddenly our children are out in the world without us for the first time. Did I teach her well enough? Did she listen to my incessant instructions on how to use her card for meals? not forgetting her dorm key? checking her mail? and don't trust everyone you meet? etc etc, a million little lessons now came into play.
I want to protect her forever yet know that I can't.
This morning was strange with her not being here.
I still put out three place settings for breakfast...
This will take some getting used to.
I thought this day was still so far out in the future. But now the time has come and to all the empty nesters out there, I now know what all the fuss was about.
Painted on 9 x 12 Arches 300lb watercolor pad using the following colors:
Indigo
Green mixed using Quinacridone Gold, Azo Yellow, & Ultramarine Blue
Transparent Orange
Yellow Ochre
Crimson
Phthalo Blue
White gouache for the whiskers
Masking fluid for the whiskers
Life lessons. We are all still learning.
Helen