My dear friend Jan Henrikson passed away on my birthday in March, 2021. I’ve always been bad at remembering the dates and years of things and Jan used to tease me about this sometimes. How fitting that she left on my birthday, one of the few dates I can’t forget.
While Jan was still living, a group of friends held an auction to raise money to support her in her last days. One of the many cruelties of cancer is how it leaves people unable to earn a living. I donated a painting — shown above — to the event, and I must say the bidding was spirited. Fund-raising aside, I think a lot of people just wanted that painting as a memento of a friendship with Jan.
This fact was not lost on Lindsay Hart, the Calgary woman who ultimately took home the painting with the high bid. She hung the painting up, but she didn’t want the story to end there. After spending some time with the painting, Lindsay borrowed a notion from the 2005 movie The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and let the canvas travel onward.
The painting has so far entered the lives of three people in Jan’s circle, passing from hand to hand after staying awhile. By coincidence, the painting has circled back to my city and currently lives with Judith Walters, a good friend to Jan and me. Judith, a quilter and sculptor with fabric generally, is sewing a travelling bag for the painting. It includes a side pocket containing a book where you can add your name to the list of custodians.
Paintings have a life of their own once the artist is finished with them. I’m delighted to follow this one on its journey, honoured that it celebrates Jan’s life while it travels.
Impressive!