Finding Grace

This book is dedicated to my very dear friend who was bravely battling breast cancer at around the time I started drawing these whimsical little girls in my sketchbook. At such times, we take comfort wherever we can find it and somehow these big-eyed girls offered me just that. They gave me the chance to escape the world, even for a short time. They seemed to understand, could be whatever I needed: a joyful celebration of life, an expression of sorrow, a calm, reflective companion. What mattered is that they were always there, trusting me to find the strength to support my friend through a difficult time and helping me find the grace to let her go. I count myself so lucky to have engaged in a creative process that took on a life of its own. Through the process of creating a quick daily drawing I found myself contemplating grace and what it means to me. This book is the result of all that contemplation: a mix of my own thoughts, words of others that resonated with me and, of course, the big-eyed girls that kept me company. Come with me on that journey. This book details the origin of these girls, explaining the creative project that was their genesis. It also includes a free behind the scenes video, which shows the painting of a couple of the illustrations in this book. While drawing these girls and spending time with my friend during her treatment for breast cancer I spent a lot of time contemplating grace. I have included quotations about grace that I found meaningful, along with my own thoughts about this most admirable quality. It is my hope that you find as much inspiration and comfort from this collection of words and images as I did in putting them together.