Honoring a life and artistic legacy

We met on the afternoon of Nov. 9 to honor the life of Lynne Hanson, a friend and local artist. Her paintings aren't framed and offered for sale in local galleries, though. You'll find them on the walls and ceilings of local businesses and homes throughout Carson City and Carson Valley.

In the king suites at Gold Dust West, her lifelike scenes of the wild west live on making each room a unique experience. The sunflowers that were recently painted over on the Carson Valley Arts Council building in Minden are another example of her talent. Painting freehand, she was able to bring dimension and life to each project. And she did it quickly with a few brush strokes, even using her thumb to turn purple paint into grapes on a vine. Walls suddenly became windows to another place and time.

The sky was covered in gray clouds and a soft mist occasionally could be felt on the breeze as we gathered in the Saratoga Springs Park off Stephanie Way to remember Lynne.

Thank you to Pat Bemis and Eleanor O'Connor for organizing the memorial. A special thank you to Eleanor for writing the following poem. Lynne, we miss you still.

Honoring a Life & Artistic Legacy

She left us in the springtime when the

Sun was high and the air was still.

The tall sunflowers she painted on the

Side of her house bowed their heads in

Silent protest and shed a tear.

On Curry Street her hanging baskets

High up on that wall swayed back and

Forth in the gentle breeze for her.

And her cherry blossoms on those

Walls in that house high on the hill

Filled the air with their scent for her.

Oh, how happy she was when she painted!

She made it look so easy!

Several small brush strokes of yellow

Dried on the wall, and then she was back

With strokes of black across that yellow

And in that instant birds appeared

As if by magic!

In that little church she painted nestled

In the valley, the organ played and the

Choir sang for her.

Stepping into her wine country scene

Where she was sitting at her table,

I poured a glass of wine for her.

Raising our glasses, I said,

"Your artistic legacy lives on!

We will miss you and we will never forget you because Love Remembers!"

She smiled and said,

"Now I know today will be a better day!"

n To reach Gail Davis, e-mail RuhenstrothRamblings@yahoo.com or call 265-1947.