All I could see was perfection.

Author: 
Lisa Morel-Misener

 

I had the pleasure of working with Shirley at Cognos for many years.  She put the shine on all my work and always made it look better than it truly was. Her everyday life blog which I loved to visit so often brightened a crappy day.  It was however in her photography that her gift as an artist will live in my home.  Shirley took pictures of my daughter Anna when she was four, and then again of our family when we welcomed our son five years later. Our son Owen was a surprise to us, and I always say the grant of his sister's every birthday wish, tossed coin in a fountain and wish chip. Somehow Shirley captured the joy and wonder Owen brought to our house, and how he completed our family.

Shirley came to our home and took the pictures on a Saturday and I had the photos in my inbox on Monday. As I sat at my laptop crying with joy at seeing her work, her e-mail really only talked about different lenses she should have used and the different shots she felt she missed.  All I could see was perfection.

My plan was to take three of her shots and have them mounted on canvas in our staircase.  I spent hours and hours over the last four years but couldn't choose the right pictures - too many were perfect.  After Shirley passed away I sat down again, determined to choose.  I couldn't ... finally I chose eight ... and then two weeks later another two and had them printed and framed and hung. Anna chose one of Owen as you can see Shirley in his eyes, and that was very important to her. I finally have my wall of Shirley's photos - many many more are scattered throughout other rooms in our house. 

     

As I stood back with my husband, hammer in hand, so proud of finally hanging Shirley's work, Andy said,  "we really should get some more recent pictures too".  But I just looked at him and said "who can take them now?".  There is of course no one.

I only hope that Shirley truly heard my words of thanks over the years ... she was so talented, so gifted, so kind.  Thank you Shirley. I know you are in a place at deserves your beauty.