Rachel's Menagerie

1999–2001
Acrylic
14" x 17"

A portrait of my elder daughter, Rachel (when she was 3), who loves animals. Most of the animals are African in origin, but the tiger, of course, is from Asia. I originally intended to paint a lion, but I felt that the piece needed more color, and anyway, I wanted to paint a tiger, so sue me.

When I first showed this to Rachel she was unimpressed (can’t all daddies do that?). But by the age of seven, she finally began to appreciate the piece, and the work I put into it.