Where Her Hands Touched, Beauty Followed

Where Her Hands Touched, Beauty Followed 

by Madi A. 01/2026

In her early years, she was an artist with fabric. She created garments, designed fashion, and brought ideas to life with her fingers, a needle and thread, her sewing machine, a pattern, and her imagination. Throughout the 1960's and 1970's, our home was a continuous stream of clients arriving with an image, a sketch, or simply a vision of how they wanted to look. With her touch, mastery came to life.

In the 1980's, she set aside her needle and thread and picked up a drawing pencil. She sketched for a while, then traded the pencil for a paintbrush. Her artistry flourished from one oil painting to the next. A camera was always by her side, her eye constantly searching for the next landscape, architectural detail, or moment to translate onto canvas. Once again, her home became a gathering place for clients commissioning paintings to hang in their homes.

She became known for her oils, admired for their precision, detail, and the quality of their subjects. Her work gained recognition within the local art club, and some of her most popular pieces travelled across the country as part of exhibitions showcasing the best of the best.

One of her most beloved paintings was Boys in the Sandbox. It hung in her husband's office for years, then in her home, and eventually found a permanent place in the boy's home. Later, she recreated the piece, adding the sister, and it was named The Three Treasures, in the same sandbox. These paintings were never for sale. They were priceless, among the greatest gifts she ever created. Hundreds of oil paintings were made, gifted, commissioned, and sold over the years.

From time to time, she would pause and discover other creative forms: needlepoint, paper tole art, crochet, knitting, and porcelain crafting. She was always creating.

Then she explored porcelain. Beginning with liquid porcelain, she created figures in bisque and glazed finishes. With their realistic, matte, skin-like appearance, she made dolls, Christmas decorations, and home décor. For years, friends and acquaintances referred to her simply as The Doll Lady. Once again, her home was filled with clients bringing ideas for commissioned dolls; whether as gifts, replicas of brides, ballerinas, children, or babies, or popular characters such as Shirley Temple or Anne of Green Gables.

Her attention to detail was extraordinary. From the lifelike, hand-painted eyes and delicately shaped nails, to the colour and styling of the hair, everything was considered. The tailored clothing, lace, fabric, shoes, and jewelry were chosen with care, each piece perfectly finishing the look. Hundreds of dolls were created, gifted, and sold, each one a testament to her patience, precision, and boundless creativity.  

In her later years, she attended local craft shows and markets, bringing with her a wide array of handmade creations. Sometimes her display filled just a few tables; other times, she expanded the space with easels and shelving, adding height, depth, and presence to her showcases.

2006 along St Lawrence River QC

1983 Boy's in the sandbox

1986 The Three Treasures