This painting is extremely special to me. It’s my last memory of my Nana.

She was this extraordinary woman who was my role model and encouragement. She believed in me and cheered me on, realizing that I was never going to be “the normal” grandchild. But loving me as I was. She was a woman who kept sexy and silly photos of people in albums, and could entertain like the best of them sans alcohol. Her favorite place to be was at the pool watching the grandkids splash and working on her tan. She was a total babe clear through her 60’s that made my much younger mom jealous. She lived on cigarettes and coffee, though she would pretend not to smoke in later years. You were always welcome at her place, but you would have responsibilities and she would put everyone to some task at her house.  She had gorgeous art on her walls, and on her deathbed I found out that not only did she make beautiful gardens and blankets, but she also did some painting.

When I was a kid she’d imaginatively would help us make up games – oversized boxes became kitchens and cars, monopoly money and bedrooms became rooms at our hotel. Her house that she had helped build was filled with love, great furniture from when they owned a furniture store, and odd bits from various parts of the world from the college students she had rented apartments to. I could go on and on.

I made this painting while I was sorting through my feelings about the imminency of losing her. Though I’d spent a solid week with her the month before, I had just lost my father-in-law and couldn’t leave my husband in his time of grief. So I took it out on the canvas. Painting the colors that reminded me of her – the blues of the pool, the cream that she chose to paint her house in when she decided to decorate for only herself, the blonde that she used to dye her hair. And then I grabbed the red and threw it on. I was angry to lose her. Angry she was in pain and that it was cancer – which I lost my mother to and that there was nothing anyone could do. I took a deep breath and knocked over a giant tub of white paint. Later I would find out that around that time she had passed away. I took the knocked over white paint and I made roses. She had a lovely rose garden full of many different varieties in her front yard. She would let us each choose one to take home. This time I painted her a bouquet. It’s one short of a dozen – I like to think she took that one with her.

This artwork is a one of a kind piece hand painted by Stephanie Ishler of Hallyu Back. All artwork is for sale unless otherwise specified. If you are interested in purchasing this original painting, contact us here!

In addition, you can also inquire about artwork by emailing this address: contact@hallyuback.com ^^