The framed portrait of Christine and a close up of the pencil drawing itself. Fitting as I took the photo, the wind picked up and unfurled our Canadian Flag. “Christine” 16.5” x 12.5” Pencil on Watercolour Paper ©Deanna Lavoie
Christine is the first portrait in a series intended to celebrate and recognize some of the Village of Longview and area characters. I have lived in this beautiful community since 2003 and wanted to recognize some of these folk as I have met several wonderful and interesting people through the years. I chose to begin the series with Christine based on all the wonderful qualities she exudes. To date, she is the only portrait and currently the entire series! With such a large personality it seems very fitting right now. Perhaps when I am 80, the series will be more complete!
As our world maneuvers through these unsettling times during this global pandemic, Christine and her portrait have become woven into a two-week story. I wanted to share with you my narrative as it marked the beginning of a massive pause we are now abiding by to ensure the safety and welfare of our citizens and the many people in several health fields who care for them.
It was the morning of Monday, March 1st, and I was taking my pencil portrait of Christine Lund to the framer. The People’s Portrait Prize in Calgary was taking place in March and I knew Christine would make an excellent addition. I needed it framed by Sunday, March 15th to drop the art and my registration into the gallery that day. The People’s Portrait Prize opening was slated for the evening of Saturday, March 21. The coronavirus was making rumbles here, but at this stage, it still seemed like a distant happening. When I drove Christine’s likeness to the city to be framed, it was a fun and free day – she rode shotgun with me and off we went to Calgary. I snapped this selfie to celebrate the moment.
My Pencil Portrait of Christine rides shotgun to the framer.
Let me tell you about my friend, Christine. She is one sassy senior known for her extraordinary hugs to everyone and anyone who crosses her path, her famous carrots (a few of us affectionately call her “the carrot rancher”) and her fancy dance moves on many a table at the local hotel where she enjoys the jam sessions. She loves to talk and smile.
Before my family and I left for Australia, Christine and I at our going away party.
I have been blessed with her friendship since 2010. We met through mutual friends just before my family and I moved to Australia for three years. During the time away, Christine and I emailed back and forth, sharing stories and laughs. I always looked forward to hearing about her adventures which she always made sound entertaining with her way of capitalizing important words/phrases and punctuating. Her written tone allowed her character, banter and voice to come through engagingly.
Christine also sets a fine example of remembering our Veterans. Graciously, in November 2017, she purchased and framed one of my “The Journey to Remembrance” prints and donated it to our local hotel and bar to honour all servicemen and women.
Thursday, March 12th, I went back into the city to collect the framed portrait. There was a louder hum in the air as we had begun to call the virus Covid-19….the frame shop was very quiet and the framer shared his tales he knew of what was happening in Italy as well as the fears for what was going to happen here. I agreed that we were on the edge of big changes and pondered whether the Portrait Show was going to continue. The next day, the art show was postponed until further notice and the cancellations for my other appointments and events began to snowball very quickly.
Christine has been living in a senior’s home and it had been a while since we had seen one another. There were enough virus whispers, I wasn’t sure about visiting the retirement village to see her. I reached out to Christine’s family after dropping off the pencil drawing to be framed. I wanted to tell her about the show and that it was my intention to include her image in the event. Sunday, March 15th, I received a text from her family that she was at our local hotel and bar in town for a couple of hours. I took the framed piece over to the hotel excited to see her and show her how it had been framed so beautifully.
Social distancing was beginning to take shape, a term that so new it squeaked but Christine was having none of that, and little did I know that day, her hug would be the last hug I would receive from a non-family member. Hugs - another cancellation of events, but Christine’s hugs are perfect and I could not have asked to receive one last hug from a friend, it was a brilliant one to receive.
For now, it’s day by day as we navigate this whole new way of living but I am grateful to have been given the gift of a Christine squeeze that day. I will look forward to receiving another hug at the end of these uncertain times. Christine’s warmhearted hugs will be the most ideal bookends to this precarious period of time.
P.S. Be patient, Christine! When the dust clears, WE will be lining up in droves to receive your Fabulous HUGS! What a celebration IT WILL BE!
I always love bumping into Christine at different local events. Here we are at Longview School sometime after 2013 but before 2018. This photo lives on my cork board at home.