a new piece of art

After my Chicago grandson was born, I stayed with my daughter and her husband to help them settle into their new life as parents. My daughter had delivered by C-section and my son-in-law never left his wife and son during their hospital stay. By the time they brought the little guy home, they were already running on fumes.

About a week later, the walls started to feel a little too close. Cabin fever had set in and we all needed a breath of fresh air. So we bundled the baby up and headed out for lunch and a stroll, a small debut for the newest Chicagoan. The new parents chose Wicker Park, a neighborhood bustling with restaurants and an ever-growing arts scene.

Lauren and Anthony suggested we stop by the Jackson Junge Gallery, a place they had visited before. Inside, we discovered the work of artist Anastasia Mak, and it stopped us in our tracks. Her paintings pulsed with color and movement, each one filled with its own kind of joy.

One painting in particular held our attention. The original, a striking 36-by-48-inch piece, anchored the exhibit. Lauren and Anthony chose a few of Anastasia's prints to take home that day. I didn’t, but that image sure stayed with me.

It took a little over a year, but I finally ordered a print of "Red Rebellion" from her website. I took it to my favorite frame shop, where, after some searching, we found a frame that looked and felt just right. Now it hangs among my collection of red flowers and bird artwork, a sweet reminder of that day when my little grandson met his city for the first time.