too long ago, I commissioned this fine craftsman to do a piece for me, inspired by the fine work Steve Coles posted here.
a little back story before the photos. little more than one year ago, my Mother lost her partner of more than 40 years to prostate and other cancers. In August my brothers and I went home to celebrate my father's memory with my mother at a memorial golf tournament to sponsor local Hospice activities. (biggest fundraiser that club has ever had, by a factor of 4, my Dad was loved by the community). The day after the tournament, we traveled to my Dad's hometown (barely a town with 80 permanent residents) of West Glover, VT and the lake he grew up on, Lake Parker, where we spread his ashes.
years ago, my parents and a group of other summertime residents on the lake created a nature path around the lake, my Mother wanted to spread the ashes along it, so that my Dad could always be near the lake he spent so much of his youth on and in. having walked about 1/2 mile around the rough trail, remarking how well the current members of the Lake Parker Association were doing with upkeep of the trail, we approached a little picnic area, which was right on the water. There, for the first time that day, we heard a loon. The bird had been quiet until that point, and we could see him in the water, perhaps 150 yards away. Loons are generally rare birds, and my parents would treasure every opportunity to see or hear them on the lake. Mom felt it was my father's way of saying "Hello, Jean, I am home. Thank you."
enough of that, here are the pics. Thank you for the fantastic job, Charlie!
The artistry in these is amazing. From Steve's post, I was expecting great carving, Charlie is extremely talented with the brush, too. I am proud that my Mom will be receiving this Charles Chandler original as a gift when she returns to frigid northern New York from a trip to sunny Florida checking out retirement opportunities in a few days.
a little back story before the photos. little more than one year ago, my Mother lost her partner of more than 40 years to prostate and other cancers. In August my brothers and I went home to celebrate my father's memory with my mother at a memorial golf tournament to sponsor local Hospice activities. (biggest fundraiser that club has ever had, by a factor of 4, my Dad was loved by the community). The day after the tournament, we traveled to my Dad's hometown (barely a town with 80 permanent residents) of West Glover, VT and the lake he grew up on, Lake Parker, where we spread his ashes.
years ago, my parents and a group of other summertime residents on the lake created a nature path around the lake, my Mother wanted to spread the ashes along it, so that my Dad could always be near the lake he spent so much of his youth on and in. having walked about 1/2 mile around the rough trail, remarking how well the current members of the Lake Parker Association were doing with upkeep of the trail, we approached a little picnic area, which was right on the water. There, for the first time that day, we heard a loon. The bird had been quiet until that point, and we could see him in the water, perhaps 150 yards away. Loons are generally rare birds, and my parents would treasure every opportunity to see or hear them on the lake. Mom felt it was my father's way of saying "Hello, Jean, I am home. Thank you."
enough of that, here are the pics. Thank you for the fantastic job, Charlie!
The artistry in these is amazing. From Steve's post, I was expecting great carving, Charlie is extremely talented with the brush, too. I am proud that my Mom will be receiving this Charles Chandler original as a gift when she returns to frigid northern New York from a trip to sunny Florida checking out retirement opportunities in a few days.