Mrs. Lula Estes viewed the world through the eyes of an artist, immortalizing great beauty with brushstrokes and palettes of vibrant colors. She was a professional portrait artist who had a way with painting children, not to mention landscapes and water scenes.
The artist displayed her work in her home, and it was there that Alive Hospice volunteer Gretchen Sakkinen came into her life. On their first visit, Sakkinen was struck by the painter’s artistry and engaged her in a conversation about her work. Mrs. Estes “lit up” as they talked about painting, Sakkinen recalled, and offered to give her a lesson. On their next visit, Sakkinen brought a canvas and paints.
Selecting a portrait she had painted in years past, Mrs. Estes guided Sakkinen as she applied color to the blank canvas to reproduce the artist’s work in her own way. Becoming Mrs. Estes’ student was a special way Sakkinen could bring joy to the artist, who was no longer able to paint herself. Through Sakkinen, Mrs. Estes was again able to create in the medium that she so loved.
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