Living on through creativity

Thank you all for the well-wishes sent over the past couple of weeks since my Papa passed. I was able to spend some time with my family in Seattle while my in-laws (who are in the running for the "world's best in-laws" award) watched the kids. I'm not sure what to say, really--what do you say about visiting family for a memorial service?  I'd like to share a little of who my Papa was, and how he lives on through his art.

Papa painted. A lot. His college studies were in studio art. And while he went into business for his career, art was always his love. I remember going up to visit my grandparents in north Seattle and sitting in the guest bedroom looking at his paintings, drawings, and general artistic musings. He had loads of books and little models. I even, on occasion, got to learn from him and dip my paintbrush into his vast collection of watercolors.

When my grandparents moved out of their large house and into a smaller one near Lake Washington my grandmother banished his creating out to a small garage/shed/annex in the back of the house. It became his studio.  Eventually my family and his friends convinced him to start selling some of his paintings, but he painted more for the joy of art. I'm lucky enough to have five of his original creations hanging in my home. I wanted to share a couple of them with you. (I'm sure he wouldn't mind.)

I regrettably didn't get the creative genes my grandfather had--at least when it comes to painting. (My youngest sister got that talent, and I proudly display one of her photographs on my wall.) But I do have the memory of being creative with my Papa, and I have a little piece of his soul hanging in my living space. I only wish he were here to create more.