The Daily Rambling Artist: The Quiet One - The Secret to Humor is Silence

Growing up, I often encountered a peculiar observation from people when discussing my family: "You don't mention your dad much." The truth is, I love my dad dearly. The reason for this observation is that he's the type of person others would describe as, "Your dad doesn't say much." And indeed, to this day, he remains the same way with me. Initially, it used to bother me, but with time, I came to understand that it's just his nature. In fact, once you comprehend this aspect of him, he’s quite hilarious.

Our interactions are mostly filled with humor and jokes, and I can confidently say that my sense of humor comes from him. I recall a cherished memory involving my dad and a new iPad. My mom, who has always teased him about his playful antics, handed me the device one day, saying, "You should see the weird things he's doing with that iPad."

As I gazed at the screen, I was greeted with a series of images where my dad had discovered the distortion effect for portraits. He was making all sorts of crazy faces, and it was an uproarious hilarious collection of photographs. I couldn't stop laughing, and there, in the corner of the room, stood my father, the quiet one, thoroughly enjoying the outcome of his playful antics.

Throughout my childhood, my dad showed little outward expression towards my creative efforts. Therefore, when I later painted a portrait of him based on those iPad pictures, I expected no different reaction. And true to form, there was no overt response. However, the next time I entered my parents' bedroom, I noticed the portrait I had painted of him was prominently displayed on the wall. My heart swelled with affection for my father, the quiet one, who had found his own way to express his appreciation.

-Sergio Santos