Michelle is a very talented artist and photographer. What she does to photographs turns them into fine art. They really are beautiful. When I saw that she was having a promotion to win a print of your submitted photograph after she worked her magic with it, I immediately entered. I submitted my favorite photograph of my grandmother from when she was a young woman. Part of your entry was to describe why you thought you should win on her wall. So I described why that picture meant so much to me, what it represented about my grandma. And then I had to wait. And it was agony.
But, this week I found out that I won! And today, Michelle and I e-mailed back and forth for most of the morning. She is such a delight. She told me that the image really spoke to her. It was wonderful to hear that it meant something to her as well, and that she was treating my grandma's picture with such respect. She named it Dare to Be, which is just absolutely perfect, because that is the look I see on her face.
She is standing there amidst flowers and grass, set to take on the world at a time when women weren't expected to do that. Shortly after this picture my grandma went on to be one of the first women to work at the Pentagon. She married my grandpa when he was on shore leave during WWII. She raised two children while he was an agent in Hoover's FBI. She never shied away from hardship, or from charity. She was a listening ear when I needed one. She was laughter. She was just one of the most important people in my life.
So would you like to see the picture? Here is the original:
And here it is as a Jolini Fine Art Print.
Isn't it beautiful? She added the birds and it just made me shiver. My Grandma loved birds. So much so that people were always giving her little birds. And the fact that there are two of them, flying off into the distance, just makes me think of my grandparents being together again, free to fly off into forever. They loved each other so much.
If you would like to see more of Michelle's work, please visit her site here.
Thank you so much, Michelle! I will treasure it!
2 comments:
What a great story and artistic enhancement of a moment in her life "pre-mothering". Happy Mother's Day to you Susan.
Thank you so much, Susan, for these kind words :)
I loved working on your grandmother's image, it really is one of a kind. And the most beautiful thing about it is that I got to know you a little - and I'm really happy for that. You too are one of a kind. You amaze me with your kindness and beauty. Thank you again :)
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