Caroline Belanger
Love, 2023
Mixed media on canvas, in acrylic box
48 x 60 x 3.75 in.
(121.9 x 101.6 x 9.5 cm)

In 2020, I recreated The Lamplighter Effect for a Lamplighter family that were just in love with my concept.  In the dreadful summer heat, during the COVID lockdown, I painted with three generations of this family, outside, wearing masks.  See my Blog, Three Generations Painting Together, for more details of how this project unfolded.  I still remember how much fun we had that day. 

At the time, the family was already arguing over who was going to get to hang the piece in their home, so I was not surprised when they approached me to make another one, so both of their children will be able to inherit one.  This time we changed up the design, choosing the use the butterflies to spell out the word “love.”  Again the family gathered, and some papers were sent to family members that could not make it.  I received the most beautiful, colorful papers to work with (and I still had some leftover from their original commission).  In the middle of making the piece, a member of the family passed away, but we were able to incorporate his papers into the piece which has made it all the more valuable to the family.