Walker

Jan 27, 2011 12:01 am

MELISSA ANNE WALKER

1975-2011

My mother, Aimee, was a hippy back-to-the lander. She and my father, Craig, a musician, built a cabin in the woods. We had no electricity or running water. In this isolation, I had to entertain and express myself creatively with art. I was extremely meticulous. I drew geometric patterns, which I enhanced with color.

My mom took me everywhere with her: political demonstrations, rock concerts, museums, and skiing. I spent lots of time with the neighborhood families, the Martineau/Wheelers and the Serinas. We'd share meals, holidays and games with Ginks and Jane. I spent many happy days on Clearwater Pond with my grandmother Toby and my aunt Leckie, cousin Noelle and my friends the Pratts. Summer was always fun with Aunt Laurel, and her other kids, Kara, Jay, Micah and Garrett. And later, with the younger cousins, Heather, Kyle, Anna, Kate and Davis. We were glad when Uncle Alec and Aunt Debbie and Nick and Jake could come visit. I had many wonderful weekends in Bethel with Grammy Walker, visits to Mimi in Greene, and summer vacations in Tennessee, hanging out with brother Ben, learning to sew with step-mom Betsy and to fly with my dad. We enjoyed summer on the water with the children from New York City and winters skiing with the Sandy River School kids. We love sharing our home and family with young adults, Cheriese, Jesse, and Alex.

I enjoyed my visits with my Walker cousins, Shane, Jimmy, Samantha, Loti, Joe and Mary and aunts Anne and Alice.

In third grade, I went to Mexico and the pyramids amazed me. I still remember the vivid colors and passionate faces of Diego Riviera murals and the powerful portraits produced by Frieda Kahlo.

When I was 13, a trip to France had a profound impact on me. I became infatuated with the impressionists and post-impressionists, after spending countless hours at the Louvre, Pompeido, Notre Dame and Versailles. Traveling educated me in so many ways. Coming from the rural USA to metropolitan Paris was mind blowing. I was in love with it all, art, culture, food and the seemingly glamorous city life. My artwork changed after this trip, I began to draw people from books, from magazines and from life. I abandoned my abstractions completely and began to emulate the French late 19th century artists.

Fred, my stepfather, an arts and antiques dealer and painter, taught me how to paint, use perspective, and mix color. Art and hundreds of art and antique books now surrounded me at home. Travel to Jamaica and the situation in South Africa inspired my work, "Ending Apartheid."

I traveled on a high school exchange programs. In Paris, I truly lost myself in the art really analyzing, sketching and visiting every museum I could. In Russia, I visited the breathtaking Hermitage, with its lapis mantles and columns. I left in love with the work of Matisse and Kandinsky. I didn't try to emulate them, and continued working from life training, my hands and my eyes.

I graduated Mount Blue in 1993 and went to Oberlin College. I majored in biology/premed and took as many art classes as possible. There, I did series of 30 or 40 self-portraits. After leaving Oberlin, I began Landscape painting en plein aire. I majored in art at UMF and was part of the Artist's Union. With my great friends and supporters, Saskia and Natasha, we created a mural for the student center.

I also create art with flowers, with great inspiration from my dear friend, Ginger.

We have experienced the joy of youth, Cierra and Sam, Mario and Simeon, Simone and Brynnley, Mali and Tawongo, Azalea and Rowan, Fred, Dresden and Sebastian.

Most importantly, I have discovered true love, this year, with my fiance, Jesse. My time with him has been beyond wonderful.

My goal as a painter and, as a person, is to express and communicate the beauty and interconnectedness of the universe as a whole, made of innumerable parts and ultimately illuminated by light.

The past four years I have been surrounded by friends, family and healthcare professionals, enjoying the light, the flowers, good food and conversation, lots of love and wonderful care. I really appreciate all the loving kindness shown to me and my mom. Thank you all.

My garden fairies (you know who you are) have kept me balanced and I so appreciate that Jay and Meg and Alia always stop by when they are in town.

Fritzie is the best dog friend ever.

Special thanks to Denny and Pat for keeping us afloat and to Fawzia, Daisy, Kristina, Nora, Susan, Dawn, Michele, Tammy, Marla, Nancy, Amy, Gina, Gretchen, Ruth, Cathy, Eileen, Doug, Milton, Ernie, Bernie, Richard, and Hisham, Jamez and Julia for taking care of mom.

More thanks to mom, Lu, Billy, Dawnah, Colin, Cat, Clover, Ian and Saskia, Natasha and Ethan, Andy, Jeff and Heidi, Curt, Maureen, Jeremiah, Nate, Rama, Abel and everyone else for being there for my Jesse.

Hasta la vista.

MELISSA ANNE WALKER

1975-2011

I enjoyed my visits with my Walker cousins, Shane, Jimmy, Samantha, Loti, Joe and Mary and aunts Anne and Alice.

In third grade, I went to Mexico and the pyramids amazed me. I still remember the vivid colors and passionate faces of Diego Riviera murals and the powerful portraits produced by Frieda Kahlo.

I also create art with flowers, with great inspiration from my dear friend, Ginger.

We have experienced the joy of youth, Cierra and Sam, Mario and Simeon, Simone and Brynnley, Mali and Tawongo, Azalea and Rowan, Fred, Dresden and Sebastian.

Most importantly, I have discovered true love, this year, with my fiance, Jesse. My time with him has been beyond wonderful.

My goal as a painter and, as a person, is to express and communicate the beauty and interconnectedness of the universe as a whole, made of innumerable parts and ultimately illuminated by light.

My garden fairies (you know who you are) have kept me balanced and I so appreciate that Jay and Meg and Alia always stop by when they are in town.

Fritzie is the best dog friend ever.

Hasta la vista.

Comments

It's about moving on and accepting. coach factory's pretty instrumental in helping people do that.The silhouette is domed to the point of coach outlet store online. The bottom will likely open up once it gets weighed down with prada outlet, but its natural shape is just plain awkward. Sure, the leather is lush, the coach factory bags are tailored, and the coach factory outlet hardware has that lustrous gleam. Here is the first look at the eyewear from coach factory outlet Spring/Summer 2013 coach factory outlet with the coach outlet designer really impressing with various elements defining the coach factory outlet. While an all-black red-carpet look instantly gets coach bags outlet of approval, it has the possibility of running into Michael Kors Outlet. I was, admittedly, a bit distracted by the coach factory celebrities sitting front-row - more specifically, I was curious to see which looks coach outlet would deem worthy of photographing with her Window (she seemed visibly moved by the moss matelasse coach outlet below, not surprising considering the feminine silhouette).The memorial included performances from some of Rulon's musician friends and talk of her life and impact on the http://www.coachfactorybing.org/ coach factory outlet and http://coachfactoryusaoutlet.webs.com/ coach factory blog.