Remembering Chris - Unfinished

Friends -
Yesterday friends and family of Chris Rex gathered at her home for a memorial and celebration of her life. Jean-Guy and her sons decorated the house and her studio with her art work - paintings, oil pastels, sculptures, weavings, many creations. You could feel her presence, imagine her picking up the oil pastels that were carefully grouped by color and hue in the table at the center of her studio. Besides the permanence and beauty of her art, the spoken memories of people that where there, and the photos they displayed, there were a couple of other things done to help us remember Chris.

One was (per her request) a request that the women attending the event to select a piece of her jewelry to remember her by. She had many beautiful, colorful pieces which Jean-Guy had carefully laid out in the front room. I chose simple, older and somewhat tarnished, silver earrings. As small as they were the had an engraving of the impossible -- an elephant balanced on a bird which was standing on the back of two flamingos. That seemed like Chris to me.

The other thoughtful remembrance was the packing of sunflower seeds in small envelopes with one of Chris's paintings printed on the outside -- 'Message from the Sky" (clouds in the shape of a heart floating in a blue sky). The request was for her guests to plant the seeds this spring, and when the flowers go to seed, to re-plant and share some seeds with loved ones, or with those that need love. Look for sunflowers at my house this summer.

I say that this gourd is unfinished because I am contemplating painting the inside sky blue. Maybe with clouds as well. What do you think of that?

Love to you -
Margie Lopez Read

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