Dawn Tolliver (5)

Painted during TAC session one

"Chellefish Dreams"
Acrylic on canvas
16" x  20"

Dawn's Story

My sister Rachelle was born when I was 9 1/2 years old. She was more of my daughter than my sister due to the age difference. My brother (six years older than her) and I helped mom raise her when my parents split when she was two. At one point when she was little we went to a fair and got her this teddybear. It was babyblue and she named it cottoncandy. That bear was as big as she was. From then on it sat in her chair or on her bed. When she got married, her flower was the calalily. My mom even had some growing in her back yard garden. At the age of 29, Rachelle and cancer met for the first time. It was a vicious battle and she had the upper hand. She had a masectomy and reconstructive surgery and all that goes with it. She went into remission for a short time and then, cancer came back to visit and this time it stayed. At the age of 34 she went to heaven to be with my grandpa in his nursery up there. Each year on her birthday and on his I send up two balloons for their party. My brother throws calalilies in the ocean and we celebrate a life cut way too short by a vicious disease. I honor her, not with talent, but with love and affection. I painted the bear pink for the cancer part even though hers was blue, but I think the rest will make since now...

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