Original Portrait Painting of Jon Sourbeer

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Jul 11, 2024
2 min read

Updated: Jun 28

Original portrait painting of author by mantel with books — Oil Portrait of Jon Sourbeer with a stack of books from his favoirte authors

Jon Sourbeer is a science fiction writer whose parents commissioned me to paint his younger sister many years ago when she was 14. Jon was always out of town, living his adventures and writing his books. Finally, the stars aligned and his parents called me to arrange getting his own original portrait painting done as well.

They all loved the background of Janelle’s portrait—a hand carved mantelpiece that my husband, Gerry, had created. They wondered if we had anything else which might compare. Indeed, we had yet another hand carved mantelpiece.

Though not carved by him, there was one thing notable. Gerry caringly “distressed” it, giving it a weathered feeling—like a wise old storyteller etched with years of experience.

Jon wanted his favorite authors’ books to be acknowledged as constellations from the universe of his creative journey. You can see his own penned favorite, The Phoenix Fallacy, atop a stack with Heinlein, Asimov and Herbert all represented.

The oil portrait paintings get good use

Now after a passage of many years, there are finally two siblings represented in the heart of the Sourbeer household . Each original portrait painting hangs on adjacent walls to each other like sentinels of their family’s history. Some day both offspring will inherit his/her own and carry a piece of this legacy forward.

Both of these children’s portrait paintings are still viewed by Dr. and Mrs. Sourbeer every day. Their children have taken wings out into the world. Jon is thousands of miles away working not just as a writer but also pursuing another penchant of his: computer programming. He uses these skills for digital marketing for a renowned US company. And Janelle is a medical doctor in the military, serving as a beacon of hope and healing.

But, throughout all the adventures that their children are up to, their parents can be greeted by their son and daughter every day by the special essence of character that is unique to handpainted oil portraits. That must be why I love to paint them!