Why I said yes [a father's day story]

In 2010, artist Christopher B. Mooney, asked if he could paint my portrait. We had met when he took a workshop with me and told me that he was painting a series portraits of "notable people" in Portland, Oregon where I live.

To me, this wasn’t such an odd request because I’m the daughter of New York City painter and illustrator Robert Shore. My dad had been painting my portrait since I was a newborn. Growing up, I also posed for many of his illustration assignments. When I visited him at his Manhattan studio, he would often ask me to wave a flag or hold a handkerchief and then snap a few reference photos. I wasn't a great model because I wouldn't stand still for more than a minute or two but long enough for him to get his shot.

So, one day in 2010, I met Chris at a café in Portland's Pearl District and he snapped a few reference photos. I had no idea that Chris' portrait was going to measure five-feet high by four-feet wide! But that's how big it turned out to be and it ended up in several of his exhibitions over the years.

Last month, Christopher B. Mooney gave me the portrait he had painted of me many years ago. What could this portrait possibly have to do with Father's Day? Read on.

This story might have ended there but then Chris decided to leave Portland last month and he asked me if I wanted the portrait. How could I say no? So, he dropped it off at my house. It's by far, the biggest piece of art I own.

The sweetest part of this story is that when I was considering Chris’ 2010 request, I noticed on his resume that he had graduated from the Parsons School of Design in New York City. When I told him that my father had taught there, I discovered that my dad was one of his illustration teachers.

My dad passed away in 2014 but he did get to see a photo of this portrait so he knows that the tradition of painting his daughter’s portrait continues with his former student.

Happy Father's Day!

Banner photo of Gigi and her dad on 5th Avenue with Central Park in the background.

Photo by Erica Berger.