A Very Special Santa Claus Cypress Knee

Over the past few years I have painted cypress knees given to me by a friend, and in exchange, I create customized Santas, Angels, even a Raggedy Ann and Andy for him to give his sweet wife and daughters-in-law for Christmas.

This year I happened to meet two of his daughters-in-law while set up at a Farmers and Artist Market.  When they realized I was the artist who had created their Santas, they asked me if I could paint them a very special Santa for their father-in-law who, unbeknowst to me, had lost his wife to cancer only a couple of months ago.

The young ladies came over and picked out an especially nice cypress knee that their father-in-law and given me and sent me emails of photos of the special things they wanted to add to his Santa Claus.

They asked that special items be added to the Santa including 8 grandchildren.

On one side, I painted three helping with decorating and setting out toys.

On the back, two step grandsons are sitting on Santa's bag. The oldest is holding one of his step cousins. I thought is was extra special that they included these two boys on the Santa.

Part of the cypress knee's design made for a great garland,

Raggedy Ann and Andy were a favorite of his wife's, so they were added to the toy bag.

At first I thought about adding my friend's face on the Santa, then I decided that since this was more about his wife, the Santa needed to be unique.

HIs wife cross-stitched every one in the family a stocking, so they asked that I add hers to the cypress knee Santa along with a very special hummingbird feeder that she loved.

And of course, the angel, painted to look like Deb, in one of her favorite gowns.

I called my friend a couple of days after Christmas and left him a message. He came by see me today and we talked about his loss and all the love he had for his wife. The Santa Claus cypress knee I painted touched him immensely and I told him that I had happy and loving thoughts all the time I was working on it.

He was blessed to have had such a loving, thoughtful, and sweet wife. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.

Bob Lenox with KEDM (NPR) interview Geri G. Taylor, author of The Kitchen Dance

2013 Taylor Family Highlights

In lieu of my annual Christmas letter, I have decided to add my family's recollection of this previous year to my blog.

A lot of new characters entered our life this year, including those in my book, "The Kitchen Dance" that came out this year. Like me on Facebook!

I portrayed "Nadia Prowski" in Murder, is Served's production of "A Deadly Briefcase", a James Bond spoof.

My youngest son, Ross, performed with Tyler Civic Theatre's S.T.A.R. Camp production of "Midsummer's Night Dream" as Theseus and Oberon.

Then he and I appeared on stage together in Ruston Community Theatre's "The King and I". Ross as one of the King's Guards and me, as one of the singers in the ballet.

Then I finished the year playing "Paulette Burgess" in Murder, is Served's "Virginia Jones and the Curse of Nergal", an Indiana Jones spoof.

A Special Birthday!

Ross was 15 the year I turned 51.

We had a wedding!

Phil's mother, Helen, married a man named Phil, which could prove confusing. Her Phil is a great guy and we will enjoy having him and his family as part of our family.

Gray, my oldest son, directed his first short film, A Friend or Something, based on a play I wrote and created a lot of wonderful artwork in his Consumer Arts studies..  Here he is setting up for a convention modeling chain mail designed by one of the vendors he met.

He and I set up a table at fundraiser for "Four Paws" our local Dog Rescue, where I had a book signing and Gray sold some of the trading cards he had designed. 

Our little lake house is still being renovated. With so much going on in our lives, we haven't taken the time to finish the painting. Once that is done, we can hang some kitchen cabinets and lay the floors. We're almost there! It will be available for vacations on airbnb.com under 4 Peaks, Our Lakehouse Retreat.

Phil is gone a lot still working for Flight Options and Air Crew Academy.

But don't think that kept him from exercising his acting skills. Phil and I were background in the movie "The East" and can easily be scene in the party scene in Chapters 13 and 14 behind Julie Ormond and Wilber Fitzgerald. We just about froze to death with the temperature in the 20's and a strong wind blowing across Cross Lake in Shreveport, LA where the party scene was filmed. And I had to wear a sleeveless and short cocktail dress!

I'm sort of hidden, but that is my champagne glass. I am much more visible in the film.

I joined the workforce as a substitute teacher for Lincoln Parish and a laboratory school in our city. It's a great way to make a bit of extra money and work around Phil's schedule. But I really do it for the experience and time spent with the students.

I participated in NCLAC's HAT (North Central Louisiana Art Council's Holiday Arts Tour) with my gourds and Santa Claus ornaments.

And did the Downtown Rivermarket's Holiday Show in Monroe, LA with a book signing and added my Cypress Knee Santas.

Then came the annual family portrait. Quite an experience when you try to add the pets into the mix.

Hero is a bit camera shy while Storm and Dash were just being uncooperative.

So, sans pets, we got it together to wish you all a Joyful 2014!