Val and I recently celebrated our sixth year in Canada. We felt nostalgic, so we went to walk around our old neighbourhood, the Annex, along with my sister, who was visiting from Mexico. While there we decided to get some drinks at Future Bakery —it was a nice evening but the patio was full, so we went inside. We were chatting about these six years, about our initial difficulties, and about how it feels that we’re now close to finishing another stage in our lives, when I noticed a man looking at us and scribbling in a notebook I couldn’t see. Later on he moved to another seat, and I could see he was doing a drawing of somebody.
When we left I couldn’t resist the urge to ask him whether he had done any of us, and if so could I see. It turns out he had: he’d painted a watercolor of the three of us. He told me his name is Paul, and that he’s usually at the Future Bakery on Saturday nights to practice. Upon my request he sold me our picture (click the image for a larger version):
He gave me permission to copy and photograph it. Unfortunately I can’t make out his last name from his autograph.
Of course he couldn’t have known, but that was an important conversation for us. It’s wonderful to have a memento of that evening.
Catenary 
Wow!
I wish I had a one 1000th of that gift.
You and Val are facing the artist, but I can tell you I know your sister and just from the pony tail and the way she is sitting I could have guessed who she was.
I liked it a lot, too, and I agree it’s easy to see that’s my sister, even if all we see is her back.
But you’re being modest – you’re a great painter as well!
That is an amazing pic, I will go there Saturday too! You can go back and ask his name, it is a very good painting! It is a shame that Pam is not seen, but the painting is great and I love the way he blend the background.