Two New Paintings by Jordan Henderson
(One Never Seen Before in Public)
(One Never Seen Before in Public)
Friday, October 7, 2022
Today, I have two new paintings to share with you from artist Jordan Henderson (who illustrated Much Ado About Corona). The first has never been seen in public until now...
My wife, before her passing, commissioned Jordan to paint the above as a parting gift for me. They brainstormed the composition in secret via email. She even paid him using an old-fashioned money order, so I wouldn't see the bank transfer.
So what's with this surreal union of a sunflower and Pinocchio? As I related in My Red-Headed Sunflower:
Nicole developed type-1 diabetes when she was nine-years-old. When we married, she was 36 and already in stage-four renal failure. Her kidney doctor called her a “delicate flower.” I decided to call her my Sunflower instead. Sunflowers are sturdy and stand tall.
And my Sunflower had two nicknames for me. The first, and oldest, was Pinocchio. I have a tendency to tell yarns, pretending they are true, until the recipient of my far-fetched tale realizes I must be joking. Hence, why she used to call me Pinocchio.
In the card she gave me with the painting she wrote:
My Pinocchio,
This painting is my memory gift to remind you of my love for you, the incredible gifts you gave me, the gratitude for all your amazing help and the person you have been and have become.
My dear husband, our time has come to a close on this earth. One day it will not hurt and you will have forgiven me for abandoning you. Carry me in your heart and find more joy as you walk this journey without me... Keep fulfilling your writing. I will be helping you from the other side.
The end draws near.
But I am clear... this is it.
We will always be united.
How could we not?
Cosmic kisses & hugs,
Sunflower
This painting is my memory gift to remind you of my love for you, the incredible gifts you gave me, the gratitude for all your amazing help and the person you have been and have become.
My dear husband, our time has come to a close on this earth. One day it will not hurt and you will have forgiven me for abandoning you. Carry me in your heart and find more joy as you walk this journey without me... Keep fulfilling your writing. I will be helping you from the other side.
The end draws near.
But I am clear... this is it.
We will always be united.
How could we not?
Cosmic kisses & hugs,
Sunflower
Nicole was so excited to give me the painting, she even took this picture of me unwrapping it:
If I didn't look too excited it was because the gift was only another sign of her impending departure. Though, as the painting symbolizes, we will be forever united in the starry backdrop of eternity, and I'll be eternally grateful for this visual reminder (which is currently at the framers and I'm missing almost as much as her).
—John C. A. Manley
PS For Jordan's second painting, which went public last week, head on over to JordanHendersonFineArt.com. See how he used a delusional character (from the world's oldest novel) to expose the deceptions behind the mainstream media's reports of the trucker convoy in Ottawa.
PPS For more about my wife's passing check out: My Sunflower has blown away and 3 Surreal Signs From My Wife in Heaven.
John C. A. Manley is the author of Much Ado About Corona: A Dystopian Love Story, the forthcoming All The Humans Are Sleeping and other works of speculative fiction. Get free samples of his stories by becoming a Blazing Pine Cone email subscriber at: https://blazingpinecone.com/subscribe/
