Sunday, January 22, 2023

Remembering Iris

Hey there blogging friends! Hope everyone is well.
Today I have an art journal spread to share, created in my word play journal.
 My spread is an homage to a very dear lifelong friend who passed from cancer just a few weeks ago.  Her first name was Iris and her middle name was Susan. She was a beautiful brown-eyed blonde who became a botanist and worked in pharmaceuticals before marrying her husband. Then she went back to school, became a licensed therapist for a while, back to school again and became a licensed clinical psychologist. I met her when I was 24 and used her for some therapy the very first year she was in practice.  We ended up becoming friends. She was 10 years older than me and very shy and reserved. We kept in touch over the years and had annual lunch dates for decades. Then her husband became ill and I saw less and less of her. After he died, she retired and in November 2019 we began corresponding again, most recently helping me with my personal boundaries, until she went into hospice care for her own illness. She said I always fascinated her because I was always interested in why I thought or did certain things, that a good mantra/credo for me was the Greek aphorism 'Know Thyself ', which I've used all my adult life.  I will always treasure knowing her. Next to my Honey and my Dad, she was one of the biggest positive influences in my life and she will be forever missed. 
The left hand side of the spread references her childhood nickname given her by her dad that is a play on words. Her family always called her Susan, but when she got older she decided to go by Iris. She was the first married woman I knew personally who kept her maiden name throughout her life. The woman in the photo looks a lot like her. I imagine Iris standing on the land where she and her husband built their dream home with an upstairs loft studio and wraparound deck for her home office. I'll never forget how beautiful and peaceful it was to go there for my sessions and then later to visit. Oh, and Brown-eyed Susans were among her most favorite flowers (and what her dad called her), so I had to use this photo.
The right hand side references one of her basic life philosophies. She loved Leonard Cohen. Even back in 1980 she had his music playing softly on the stereo at our sessions. One of her strong beliefs was that we are all broken but we can all mend ourselves if we try. So this is why I chose this Cohen quote, which are lyrics from his song, Anthem, because his words are what she believed. I chose greenery to be in the spread because she'd been a botanist and gardening was her therapy. Her backyard was gorgeous, with a huge holm oak tree and tons of shade-loving plants under its canopy. 
This spread is very simple, just the magazine photos, some washi tapes and sentiments I created in PSE and printed on bright yellow paper. But I have printed out this blog post and will keep it in the spread with plans to include her in a scrapbook I have of important people in my life. This was created to get the memory saved while I continue to fully process her passing. 
😌💖😌
Thanks for visiting and double thanks if you read through to the end. 
Have a good week!
XOX

MY CHALLENGE PLAYLIST:

12 comments:

My name is Erika. said...

So sorry to read about the loss of your good friend Aimeslee. She sounds like such a lovely person. And a good friend. I like how you created this spread for her. It’s is a wonderful memory piece, and the right side is a great way to show so many things, but the quote you chose is a good one for the way you explained it. Magazine photos work perfect too; I would have never guessed they were from a magazine and thought they were photos you had taken. Thanks for sharing with us for Mia’s challenge at AJJ. Hope you’re new week is a good one and your not too sad losing such a good friend. Hugs Erika

Alyson Mayo said...

This is such a beautiful and touching tribute - the colours and the images are a perfect backdrop to honour such a special friend. Very moving and a wonderful way to remember a dear friend.

Donna Ellis said...

What a beautiful person, and your tribute to Iris is even more beautiful, Aimes. How wonderful it would be to have someone remember us this fondly, eh? Thank you for sharing who Iris Susan was. I feel as though I "know" her essence just from what you have said. I especially like when you said "I will always treasure knowing her". When we can say something like that about another individual, we know we have been blessed indeed! Thank you for sharing the quote "there is a crack in everything. that's how the light gets in". To add to it, I'd like to think it is also how the light gets out as well! May Brown-eyed Susan live forever in your heart, and may her wisdom, combined with your own dear personality, seep into my heart as well! (Loving the journal pages).
Crafting Smiles,
Donna
{Creative Smiles - my little crafting world}

Gale said...

That is a beautiful tribute to your friend Aimslee! Love the journal pages. Thank you for sharing with us over here at Pearly Sparkles Challenge and best of luck with your entry. Love to see you join in each month. Thank you.
Gale DT for
http://pearlysparkleschallenge.blogspot.com/

ahlers5 said...

What a beautiful tribute to your friend. I am so sorry for your loss. It sound like she was such a wonderful person.

Elkes Lebensglück said...

this is a wonderful idea these journal pages for your memories fan your dear friend! That must have been a great friendship as you write it.Thank you for sharing.
Hug Elke

pearshapedcrafting said...

What a beautiful tribute to Susan- she sounds like a wonderful friend. I love that you found these magazine images for your page. Thanks so much for sharing at AJJ and Mia's theme, hugs, Chrisx

Faith A at Daffodil Cards said...

I can hear the love in your words and the joy in your pages Aimes, such beautiful words to say about a lovely lady. I wish I had known her too.
Huge hugs for your loss.
Faith x

Pat said...

This lady sounds like a very clever beautiful soul and can understand that you will miss her Aimeslee, and I love your colourful spread as part of your memories of her which will help to keep her alive for you. x

Sara Lihz Dobel said...

I love this. The quote on the field is wonderful, and it's all very creative. Thank you for joining us at A Place to Start.

Sara Lihz Staroska

Deborah Wheeler said...

that's such a beautiful tribute to a much loved friend - I also love the Leonard Cohen quote. Thanks for sharing this with us at Sparkles Challenge
Deborah DT
www.deborahscraftyblog.com

Cazro said...

A gorgeous tribute, a lovely photograph. Thanks for sharing your memory.Thanks for joining in the fun at Sparkles Monthly. Caz. DT.