Sexypink - Karl Doyle at Queen’s Royal College.

~Sexypink~ Love letter to the Late Lisa O’Connor from The Women in Art Organization of Trinidad and Tobago

 LISA OCONNOR 27 May , 1965 - 22 June ,2020 Dear Lisa , I looked around the gallery today at walls that for years were full of your masterpieces .As the last of your paintings left , there was a profound emptiness inside of me at the realization that these walls would no longer hold anymore of your new works. I will so miss your vivid colors , the incredible light that each piece evokes , you created such a happy mood within each piece . As for that immense strong smell of still wet oil paints of pieces recently off your easel and along came a warning how careful I must be. A sadness hit - there would be no more phone calls - “ I’m finally finished it , it just needs to be photographed and then you can come for it !” That love and passion in your voice for each piece that you mastered. There will be no more lengthy chats , discussions and endless negotiations . You were always relentlessly strong yet you held a sincere kindness within you. Your humility , your gentle soul and the pride in your voice each and every time we spoke and the excitement that was always shared upon completion of a work. You painted what you saw , exactly what you saw. I can still picture you with your easel inside the Savannah and Jackson Square. I admired how you always put your family first and what an incredible love you had for your children. You worked only when you had finished everything that life threw at you. Last week , one of your last messages to me - “Juliana , I have a surprise for you ! I was working on the painting for you ! “ How I know how you struggled to paint towards the very end . I saw how weary you grew but there was such a fierce determination and hope inside of you. You so fought hard to live ! You continued to be so positive right until the very end and carried an intense spirituality that I would one day only hope to have. God was always mentioned every time we spoke. You were all heart Lisa , you are so going to be missed ! Throughout the years , I noticed how willing you always were to please your collectors , to give them the very best of you. You remained so utterly passionate about each subject . Each piece not only told a story but showed what an incredible person you were and how you viewed the world with such love and compassion. Each creation came from within your heart. You now live in each one of us , you are part of our walls , our homes , our lives. We , the collectors are the lucky ones . We hold a part of your life and who you were. Lisa , did you know how many countless times , numerous collectors have said to me how after a long , tedious day at work or just the regular struggles of daily life they would come home , sit and just simply stare and lose themselves in the beauty of what hangs on their walls ? You have made such a tremendous mark and impact in the world in such a short lifetime. Edvard Munch quoted - “ Nature is not only that is visible to the eye . It also includes the inner pictures of the soul “- for every brilliant yellow poui, fierce orange flamboyant , bougainvillea , humble fishing village , magnificent colonial building and lush garden, I will always remember your unique being. Your beauty certainly came from within your very nature and soul. Love , Juliana . “ There are painters who transform the sun into a yellow spot , but there are others who , thanks to their art and intelligence , transform a yellow spot into the sun . “ Pablo Picasso .