Conned Again, Alec O'Donnell, Acrylic on canvas, 101x50.5
They say I only had one trick that day, but I made it count.
When I coaxed Alison out for a "quick breakfast" a week after our fourth baby was born, she had no idea she was stepping into my secret mission for painting inspiration. Our gentle detour through the Manurewa Botanical Gardens didn’t last long, she needed a rest (which was more than fair), and that’s when I felt the guilt and cut the plan short.
But before we turned back, I managed to capture a handful of photos, little quiet moments of green and bloom that caught my eye in between the chats and her patient, knowing glances.
One of those photos became Conned.
This one became Conned Again.
A different patch of camomile’s, same quiet charm. Same day, same loving accomplice.
So yes, maybe I conned her twice.
But she let me.
And somehow, I think she knew the whole time.