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My cousin Jackie lived an amazing life. Born in Dublin, Jackie’s family
moved to the States when she was just three years old, and settled into life in
the Midwestern city of Santa Fe. This region was quite a big change from the
lifestyle of Dublin. Eclectic, free-spirited and quite warm, the family offered
Jackie every opportunity to express herself in the states.
Jackie seemed to take advantage of these opportunities. My family, living a life
parallel to Jackie’s, moved in just down the street. I became the pea to
Jackie’s carrot, often coming over and hanging out on the weekends while our
parents gathered for coffee or tea. While I was a bit of a wallflower, Jackie
was always quite the opposite.
Jackie never hesitated to explore all that Santa Fe had to offer. There are many
different artists in Santa Fe, so Jackie would drag me around to talk with them
during the weekends. As we got older, Jackie would set up a canvas in town
square, and have me pose next to various images, painting the day away. While
sometimes embarrassed, being as shy as I was, Jackie took great pride in the
fact that she was an “official” painter.
As there were many tourists that passed through town, as Jackie got older she
would begin to paint portraits and caricatures of people passing through town.
She eventually got very good. I would act as her agent, stepping out of my shell
a little more each and every day we worked together.
Eventually Jackie and I set up a successful business together, that attracted
quite a loyal following. I loved working with Jackie, and watching her work.
There was something about her art that truly captured the life and spirit of the
people that she painted. Her art had a quality about it that was fun, humorous
and engaging. It was just as popular as she was in town and among visitors.
I am sure many of you have a portrait that Jackie painted. She would never
hesitate to paint for friends and family. Jackie will be sorely missed, not just
because of her art, but because of the friendly, joyful and charismatic way that
she engaged people. Her passion for life and her surroundings were truly
inspiring.
In closing, I would like to share with you one of her final paintings, which is
a caricature of Jackie. She didn’t usually do self-portrait, but when she
learned she was ill, she thought it would be fun to capture an image that would
remind everyone of her life, rather than death.
Take some time to reflect on this image, and remember Jackie for all she had to
offer in life. Thank you Jackie for all that you gave us. We love you, and we’ll
always remember your love, your life, and your laughter.
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