- Sean Connolly
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- Added 31 Jul 2006
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Sicily, circa 1915:
Matriarch of my wife's family, her grandmother Maria at approximately age 3 with her mother and baby sister.
She survived a hard-knock childhood, as her mother and sister both shortly after died and she grew up in a tough Sicilian orphanage.
At age 18 she left that place.
Her father, who remarried and had been living over here, finally sent for her.
With a deathly fear of water, and without knowing a soul onboard, she alone sailed the Atlantic Ocean to America.
Her dad met her at Ellis Island.
She then lived with her NEW family in a NEW land in the North End of Boston.
Two years later she met the love of her life, got married, settled in East Boston, and begat a large, loving family which eventually begat the love of my own life.
Maria lived a long, happy life thereafter in that same Eastie triple-decker.
She died on August 11, 2003 at the age of 91.
this artwork:
Using the image from an old tin plate, I drew this in charcoal for her as a Christmas present in 1988
- my meager attempt to thank her for her love (I got her seal of approval),
my wife,
and the phenomenal homemade soups she made for me that nourished my spirit as well as my belly.
She had a heart as big as the sky.
She had good, solid horse-sense.
She was the Grandmother I never had.
Shine on, Gram.
stats:
completed dec 24, 1988
8.5" x 11"
charcoal on paper
© original Sean Connolly drawing
comments appreciated
9 Comments
Chas Sinklier 01 Aug 2006
Nice sensitive contour and line Sean - :0)george query 31 Jul 2006
Great work,live 40 miles from the little Italy,North End,great italian food!thea walstra 31 Jul 2006
Outstanding work SeanLoredana 31 Jul 2006
OUTSTANDING WORK :)Anonymous Guest 31 Jul 2006
Your celebration of my precious Gram is yet another celebration for me: YOUAnonymous Guest 31 Jul 2006
Sean: Although I have been fortunate enough to have this remarkable woman in my life, and enjoyed this portrait since the day it was illustrated, your touching bio of my mother equals your great work. Love, MomTami Dykes 31 Jul 2006
Your style is wonderful and very different from most. I like it and it is refreshing to see it.corry stuart 31 Jul 2006
this is beautifully done SeanEmily Reed 31 Jul 2006
A wonderful work of art!