Art Envelopes
I'm posted to Baghdad Iraq currently without the family and I've determined that it's a great time for me to return to my art hobby. I decided to start sending old fashioned postal mail to my friends and family decorated with my artwork. It's really been fun. I've leaned that doing these envelopes is deeply therapeutic for me. As I'm doing the envelope for each person, I can contemplate my relationship with each of them, helping me feel connected with my favorite people. I started out with envelopes for my wife and kids.
This was the first envelope for Dalton. He likes lizard and one of the first things I noticed here in Iraq is the geckos running around everywhere. I took some pictures and did some research and determined that these guys are called Rough-Tail Bowfoot Geckos. I know Dalton would love them, so I did a drawing of one. Pen and watercolor paint
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| The Envelope Back |
Next, I did Ethan's. I know how much he would love the massive armoured BearCat vehicles driving around post. Pen and watercolor paint
Seth's envelope was next. I decided to use an astronomy theme for his. It was a really fun one to do. I used masking fluid flecked on with a toothbrush for the stars. After I painted
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| Back of Envelope |
Allyson's envelope took a theme centered on our old family pet Stella the Ball Python. This one was really fun.
I then started to send the envelopes to my extended family. The one below went to my parents. The Red Wattled Lapwing is a bird that I see all the time here in Iraq and I thought my parents would like seeing all these different bird species. Pen, watercolor
Holly likes frogs. She collects them so I painted up this fun little guy. Pen and gouache paint.
I have to credit Lori (my sister-in-law) for encouraging me to get back to my art. She told me before I left that she thought it was unfair that I had an art talent and do not use it. I realized that it was a talent that I would lose if I did not use it. When we went to Hawaii, we snorkeled and saw the coolest sea turtle and got to swim with him. Lori thought it was especially cool, so I did this envelope to remind her about our great time in Hawaii. Watercolor and pen and ink.
Brad raises goats and I've always thought goats have the coolest eyes. This one was really fun too. Gouache paint and ink.
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| Envelope back. |
Jen's husband works at Hill Air Force Base and works on helicopters. I ride a Huey Helicopter here every time I need to leave the embassy and think of them each time.
This was an especially important one for me. My Grandma is one seriously amazing woman and is someone I love deeply. She loved getting this kind of special mail. Gouache paint and ink.
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This is the milk carrier that I remember getting milk in as a kid. I sure miss the dairy and the simple like that goes with it.
This envelope is for a special friend who I have worked with for many years in my woodworking career. He has always inspired me with his engineering-style perfection. Colored Pencil, Gouache paint and ink. |
The Tennis family are special friends that live and work in Saudi Arabia. Gouache paint and ink.
Our family has learned to love Great Danes thanks to our friendship with the creative and fun Coleman family. It's pretty hard not to love a Dane, even if you lose expensive shoes to slobber and chewing. Gouache paint and ink.
My nephew Nathan is out on a mission and is quite a good hunter. I did this envelope for him. Gouache paint and ink.
The next few envelopes were commissioned by friends. They asked for envelopes for others they thought would enjoy them.
Elsa is our office admin who we welcomed back after returning from vacation with this card. Colored pencil, watercolor and pen.
I was contacted by my late mission president's wife who said President Chapple had a sister who loved frogs and had a birthday coming up. I did this envelope for her and wrote about how much her brother had influenced me at such a formative time in my live and how much I missed him. Gouache and ink.
I was asked to send this fun envelope to my cousin's daughter and her kindergarten class who was looking for the gingerbread man and asked family members to send letters in with sightings. This one was fun. Gouache and ink.
This special envelope is for my childhood friend and horse lover. When we were in high school, we started taking care of my grandpa's horses and rode them weekly. We learned a lot about horses and starting taking girls on horseback riding dates. We both really wanted to be cowboys. Gouache and ink.
Vahe is a special friend who inspires me with his adventures. Recently, he went skydiving and made me want to try it. Gouache and ink.
This envelope was really special for me. It's for my longest lasting backcountry yurting buddy, Corbett. We've had some good memories now on our 12 year of enjoying the backcountry together. Gouache and ink.
A long time ago, a good neighbor and friend heard I like to paint and asked me for a painting of a porch with a swing and lilacs. I told her I would get to it, and have never forgotten. So I couldn't resist this theme for her. She also shares my name, so I call her Chris the Girl and she calls me Chris the boy. Gouache and ink.
This is for a special older lady who has never lost her exuberance and youth, even in her old age. She was trying to hire a contractor to build her a tree house in her backyard because she has always wanted one. I think that is so neat! Gouache and ink.
This is for the son of an old friend I grew up with. She told me Spencer loved dragons. Gouache and ink.
This special envelope is for friends who share a love for Russia. I had a great time with this theme.
An old mission companion of mine has a beautiful daughter that has been diagnosed with a rare kind of Childhood cancer and said she likes fairies and hummingbirds. This was a tough topic for me, but had fun painting out of my comfort zone. Gouache and Ink.
March of the Elephants!
This little baby envelope is for my inlaws. Watercolor and pen.
Some fellow FS friends who love elephants are the recipients of this next special elephant. Gouache and ink.
