Ninth grade rivaled as one of the darkest times of my adolescence. Perhaps as a consolation, that year the universe gifted me with two of the most influential teachers I ever had. Each shone brightly, cutting through the darkness and pain, leaving an indelible mark, which I would not fully realize, or appreciate, until adulthood. I wrote about one of those teachers in a previous post; the other person was my art teacher, Laurie Teague, whose artistic aesthetic and musical taste set my struggling spirit free.
At the ripe age of 15 while perpetually feeling like I was from another era, I was steeped in the music of the late 1960s and early '70s. I recall discussing the music of Jefferson Airplane and Janis Joplin on many occasions with Laurie in the moments before class began. When I had difficulty with a composition for a class assignment, she often came over to offer guidance or words of encouragement. She was a gem. Unfortunately, the end of that school year in 1992 was the end of our time. Due to changes in the school district the following year, she would not teach at that high school again before I graduated. To think where I might have gone artistically had she been guiding me for the next three years...
Following the death of my other teacher from that year, I found Laurie on facebook in 2015, and we picked up where we left off. She would regularly react to my new artwork as it was posted online, which echoed the encouragement she used to give me all those years ago.
Contemporaneously, I asked her about the colors and natural elements that resonated with her most, to which she dutifully replied. She ended her message with, "What are you up to, anyway?" With the kind permission of Canadian artist Barbara McMahon to use her photograph, "Remote", and the answers provided by Laurie, I got to work creating a collage to convey my gratitude for Laurie. By November of 2016, I completed:
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| "A View for Laurie" |
This collage was a labor of love. I used India ink to create the free-form lines on the window panes and then an Xacto knife to cut away different sections of the photograph, into which I inserted images from magazines and original artwork and photographs of my own to create a composition filled with things I knew Laurie loved. Having the opportunity to create and send it to her was... something I can't quite put into words. Her appreciation of it meant everything to me.
Laurie and I would go on to exchange many messages and holiday cards over the years. In the spring of 2020 she posted a photo of some of her recent artwork, and I messaged her to tell her that I was buying one of them. After creating a piece for her and then getting to purchase one of hers, all that remained was to make a trip down south to see her again. I could not get down there fast enough, as she passed away in November 2021. Upon learning of her death, I posted the following on facebook to her daughters, "you
don't need me to tell you how wonderful of a person your mother was, as
you know that more than anyone. My heart dropped when I learned of her
passing just this evening. She was my art teacher at Carver School in
1991-92, and the impact she had on me was profound. It would take me
years to realize that. Fortunately, I reconnected with her through
facebook in 2015 and was able to convey my gratitude for the
intangible gifts she gave me. I am grateful
for the 5 or so years of holiday cards we were able to exchange, and
for the opportunity to purchase one of her original paintings a few
years ago. It hangs in my home office. I will treasure it, and her
spirit, always. I only wish I was able to travel to see
her once again. Words can't convey how sorry I am for your loss. May she
reverberate through both of you in all that you do."
She continues to reverberate in the artwork I create. Thank you, dear Laurie.
Featured in this post: A View for Laurie
All current artwork can be found in my profile at Fine Art America. Thank you for your time and your support.
