I give you my heART

My heart I give to you
That it may guide you through
Your dark and twisted nights
When your world has lost it's light
That you might stand true.
I love you.

My heart for you I burn
Hope to warm you when you yearn
For things you've lost
I'll pay this cost
So that you might learn
I love you.

My heart I light aflame
Burning quietly for your pain
To share with you your fears
Deepest pain and wrenching tears
Blotting out joy's blackest stain
All because I love you.

You have done the same for me
When I simply was not free
My regrets
just like a net
Wrung me out for all to see
You loved me.

You placed a blanket round my shoulders
At my fear your rage did smolder
Your stature at my back
Filling up my desperate lack
To my courage, you a molder
Because you loved me.

I will do the same for you
You did it once for me
A worthy sacrifice, yes, 'tis true
To support so grand a tree

Because I love you.



I did this in pencil first on a 11 by 14 smooth Bristol vellum sheet , then inked it with Copic Brush pens (for the heart outline) and then inked the rest of it and did touch-ups to the heart with a Uni-ball Micro Roller Ball Pen. I chose to ink the hands and body differently from the heart, to give it more contrast (so that it stands out more) to go along with my coloring. I colored it with Derwent Colorsoft Pencil Crayons, using blue for the surrounding picture to make the heart glow and provide a cold contrast to the warm reds, oranges, and yellows. I also added a slight purple coloration to the darker edges and shadows inside the blue, just to make it even colder.

While I was working on this for the contest submission I did not have anyone in mind who I wanted to give my heart to, more being symbolic. However, part way through the creation my grandmother passed on. I was especially close to my grandparents, and decided to dedicate this to my family. When I did the piece came alive to me. It had much more meaning to me. This picture symbolizes what I want to give to my grandfather, who was married for well over fifty years, my father and my extended family, because they are in pain and this is the greatest I can give.