Toy Soldier is standing guard in style. Those who notice and appreciate him give a cheerful smile. I started this drawing from life as a quick sketch of Christmas decorations in downtown Riverside, California at the Food Lab.
My wife and I were there as part of Riverside's monthly Artswalk, where all the museums and galleries stay open late on the first Thursdays of every month. I lead a group of people there on a tour and a discussion about the art and how it relates to biblical concepts.
For the Riverside Artswalk, the city has created a wonderful, welcoming vibe. Combined with the wealth of Christmas decorations from the city's Festival of Lights, it makes for a most memorable occasion!
Later that night I worked on this drawing some more. It started as a sketch with just my finger on my phone. Then I used a stylus at home on a touchscreen laptop to add more detail. All the while, Toy Soldier never left his post. Joe Chiappetta, 2025
This NFT is available on zeroone marketplace https://zeroone.art/profile/joechiappetta
