Daddy - The Best Santa Claus Ever!

Santa Daddy

16x20 Original Oil on Canvas

by Cheri Wollenberg 2018

I am a very blessed artist!  I enjoy sharing how and why I create paintings with my friends and viewers.  Today's post is very special to me.  It is exceptional and straight from the heart of the daughter of this Santa (above) about her daddy.  How precious our time on earth is!  How important it is to love others and spread the joy of Christ!  

The Night Before Christmas!

This Santa was a small-town funeral director.  His ministry was in helping

others walk through a life-changing experience in the death of a loved one.  

With this ministry came yet another ministry!  This ministry was sharing his love by providing

years of memories for others in his community.  Every Christmas Eve he left his family for a few hours and would don the red suit, bells and boots, and start his rounds.  Checking his list that had started building since the first of November by people in the community calling in for their reserved time for his visit, he would begin his journey.

Instructions were left for him, "Pink bike in the black truck" or "10 Caboodles in the red car in the back seat" or "4-Wheeler goes at the side of the house...Ride to front fence".

One Christmas a family whom he had served as funeral director just a month earlier were home.

Their daddy has died leaving a wonderful wife and two little boys.  Santa knocked on the door and the door was opened by the mom with the boys at her side.  A belly laugh, "Ho Ho Ho" greeted them!

The mom invited him in as the little boys were jumping up and down saying, "We knew you would come!!!  Mom, we TOLD you he would come."  A short visit gave a long and remembered memory.

God gives us His joy in our hearts.  We can cap it and keep it to ourselves OR pass it on.  This Santa chose to pass God's gift of joy to others.  He did this every Christmas Eve for 25 years.  His family 

joyfully supported sharing him with others on this night.  

On his last Christmas Eve of doing what he loved...This Santa saw 110 children in their homes.

He accepted no pay for his night of sharing God's joy.  He believed..."Joy in the heart wasn't put there to stay...Joy isn't Joy 'til it's given away."

This Santa was my dad.  He died from a massive heart attack on...Christmas Eve..1971.

B.L.W

Santa V - Jerry

Santa V - Jerry 

16x20 Original Oil Painting 2018

Cheri Wollenberg

Santa V is a friend from my husband's and my past.  Actually he was one of my husbands highschool students.  He along with his family lived just down the road from our country home.  I saw a photo of him a couple of years ago dressed up as Santa Claus.  I thought he made a very good model for a painting so I asked if I could use his photo.  He graciously gave me permission and I'm quite happy the way he turned out.  I'm hoping he has a chance this year, 2018, to give a boy or girl hope for a gift or blessing that might change their life in some way.  Stay tuned for more a few more Santa paintings this year and in the meantime you can find Jerry at FAA by either clicking this image in the border section of this post or clicking here. I also have a slide video posted on my FB page of my painting process of Santa V.  If you decide to visit my page listed below feel free to "like" and follow any art updates.  Thanks.
https://www.facebook.com/ArtbyCheriWollenberg/

Santa Claus III

Santa III

9x12 Original Oil on Canvas Board

Cheri Wollenberg

Had fun doing this old world style Santa Claus.  Reminds me of the old Christmas greeting cards I would see as a child.  He is in my Etsy store.  Take a look here.

You can also buy prints here.

Whimsical Santa Claus IV

Santa Claus IV 

Playing Music In The Starry Night

16x20 Original Oil Painting

by Cheri Wollenberg

I've painted a lot of Whimsical Santa Clauses lately.  I've also painted more realistic ones.  The old world style of Santa Claus really intrigues me. These paintings have been a lot of fun to plan and begin the process of placing them on canvas.  I played Christmas music today as I painted.  I'm thankful for the season, for what it means to me spiritually and that I can in some way make others smile a little with my ideas or the execution of the idea on canvas.  This is listed in my Etsy store.  Just click here.  Also, to see other Santa paintings and demos follow me on FB at

https://www.facebook.com/ArtbyCheriWollenberg

Autumn Santa

Autumn Camouflage

11x14 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

This is a month that people enjoy opportunities to dress up, hide their identity, or simply use other people's identity or character as a temporary role for foolery, trickery or a good laugh.   I love mystery and intrigue; however, I'm past the age to get into full swing in planning a costume for a one-evening party.  BUT, recently I've been thinking about my yearly Christmas themed projects and decided that I would paint several Santa's before Christmas.  This is my first project.  I have a lot of old-world Santa décor that I've collected through the years.  They have such charm, simplicity and they inspire me to imagine some new stylistic portraits to try my hand at.  I think this guy would be a Santa trying to conceal his identity before the Christmas season.  Maybe he is planning his route.  Maybe he is checking out who has been good before the season.  Maybe.....just maybe he likes to conceal his identity.

Click here if you would like to purchase.