Betty Brooks

Betty Brooks walked into the cafe and the whole place lit up with her presence. Like a bug drawn to a lamp, she zapped me. You know the type. We visited and I learned she was ninety years old and married to a man who was horribly afflicted with cerebral  palsy. Not that it matters to me, but he was white. As you can tell from her portrait, Betty is black. Learning that I'm a pastor she confided in me the trouble she and her husband had encountered in a couple of churches because of their being a mixed couple. Christians can be so blind at times, a fact which grieves me, and my boss.

I had just taken a five day figure painting workshop from Casey Baugh, a protege of Richard Schmid and was eager to apply my new found confidence. I was only passing through Betty's home town so I asked her if she would pose for me for about an hour and allow me to photograph her so I could finish her portrait. I wanted to try to make a statement about the source of the light that glowed from this beautifully serene creature.

I brought my paints and travel easel to her home. I asked her if she would mind posing with her Bible. "That would be fine," she consented and soon returned. When I saw her Bible I was disappointed. It was a newish looking hard cover study edition of some kind. I told her I suspected she had a Bible that she'd owned for several years. She admitted to this and said, "Surely you would not want that old thing in you beautiful painting would you?" I assured her I certainly would. When she returned with the dog-eared book you see below, I was thrilled.

Betty passed away before I finished her portrait and I'm sorry she didn't have a chance to see it. I'm not sure I captured her beauty, but I think the painting says what I hoped it would.

Title: Betty Brooks. Size: 17 X 32. Oil on masonite. Price: $1400 to a collector. $700 if sold to a church.

Thanks for let me speak to you. You're amazing and we love you.