The Best Moment of My Gallery Opening

It's Friday night, and the show is just getting started. I still have another couple of hours of my gallery opening to go, and my social battery is already feeling stretched.

I keep looking at the clock and turning toward the door, wondering when they’ll get here. People are coming in and out in waves. I’ve seen some friends and met some new people, but I haven’t yet seen who I’m waiting for.

Another wave starts to pick up, and this time I see one head moving above all the rest—my so-called “little” brother.

He just got married a few months ago, and he and his wife told me they were planning to come tonight. I knew it was the perfect time to show them something special I’d been working on.

 

I welcome them in and let them look around at their own pace, answering questions as they come up. 

“Here, stand in front of this one, and I’ll take your picture.” My sister-in-law the hairstylist fixes my hair, adjusts my pose, and takes a few pictures.

We’ve gone about halfway around the gallery together when I ask what their favorite piece has been so far. 

“I like that one,” my brother says, pointing to "Where the Wildflowers Grow."

“I like that one too,” his wife says, “and that one, and that one.” She points to a couple more paintings.

There’s a pause as she slowly spins around, taking in all the art on the walls.

“Those flowers are pretty too,” she says, pointing to the very first painting on the wall by the entrance.

I signal to my husband, who had volunteered earlier to take pictures of the big reveal.

 

“Do you recognize those flowers?” I ask.

He hardly had enough time to pull his phone out of his pocket before she squealed, “Oh my goodness!! Those are our wedding flowers!!”

She is pulled over to the painting as if by a sudden magnetic force, and the rest of us follow close behind.

“I didn’t even notice that! It’s so beautiful!” Her eyes scan the canvas as she is pulled deeper and deeper into the image. My brother stands close by, admiring it in his silent way of admiring things.

She turns to me and says, "Let me get you picture by that one."

“You'll have to be in it too,” I tell her, “because I made it for y’all.”

Suddenly, I can’t breathe. All I hear is a high-pitched “Reeeeaaally?!” and the sound of air leaving my lungs as she throws her arms around me in a tight bear hug.

 

Having this gallery show was one of those little achievements that, when you’re starting something, really mean a lot and feel like a big deal. But the highlight of the experience by far was seeing their faces light up as they thanked me for this gift. 

It was a joy to preserve the promise of lifelong love with a gift that will last a lifetime. I can’t wait to see how it will bring light and beauty to their home and remind them of the day their story started.

If you’d like to experience the joy of giving a memorable and meaningful gift for a wedding or anniversary, I’m taking wedding bouquet commissions!

Since this is a new offer, I’m opening up a few spots at a special introductory price. So if you think this is something you’d be interested in, there’s no better time than now to get started.

Just shoot me an email to get the details. 💕