“One is nearer God’s heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth” — D.F. Gurney, In Honor of Grammy, Watercolor on Paper, 2026
A Reservoir of Strength
I created this piece in honor of my Grammy for an art exhibition titled “Visionary Women: Reservoir of Strength.” She passed away in November after a hard-fought, three-year battle with cancer, and I thought this would be an appropriate way to honor her and also process my grief.
To me, she embodied the definition of a strong woman. She lived with joy, dignity, and love. Grammy’s “reservoir of strength” was her garden and, I would say, God Himself, as the title of the piece implies. It was taken from a poem she had on a placard in her garden.
Finding Joy in the Soil
Her garden was a refuge, especially in her final years. Even when she wasn’t always feeling like herself, if it was a nice day, she’d make an effort to “play in her garden,” as she called it. In those hours she spent in the sunshine, getting her hands dirty in the soil, she cultivated a work of beauty and found joy amidst an otherwise difficult time.
The Creative Journey
Originally, I wanted to include an image of her literal garden overlapping the portrait, but as I experimented with different compositions, I landed on this one instead. I chose to incorporate flowers into her hair and dress, reflecting her love of nature and referencing her garden more subtly.
The portrait reference took some time to select, since I sorted through dozens of photos of her. The photo I ultimately chose was taken by my friend, HyoWon Sices, on my wedding day. I had sketched a few drawings of her from different references, but this one felt the most like “Grammy,” so I went with it. To me, it captures her joy, beauty, and grace in a fitting way.
Meaningful Details: Flowers, Yellow, and Butterflies
The white flowers in her hair are based on a photo I took of the first flowers I saw in the spring a few years ago. I probably sent her the photo at the time, as I often did to encourage her while she was going through chemo. We often shared text exchanges like, “I saw this beautiful flower today and thought of you,” or “Thinking of you and praying for you.”
The cascading blossoms on her dress are a tribute to her love for yellow. I couldn’t create a portrait of her without including that color; it just wouldn’t be “her.” Lastly, I included the pale yellow butterfly in the flowers in her hair, honoring her love for butterflies. I based it on a reference photo my aunt sent me when I started this project.
An Answered Prayer
I almost didn’t finish the piece in time for the show. About a week before I had to drop it off, I was still stuck finalizing the drawing (after two to three weeks of working on it). I knew the portrait wouldn’t work if I didn’t get it “right.” By the grace of God, I was able to fix it after looking at it with a fresh perspective. My husband encouraged me to finish the painting, and it came together in just a few days.
God answered my prayer, and I completed it. I’m grateful He equipped me to do this as a way to honor my Grammy and remember her life. While she may have felt near to God’s heart in her garden, I know she is nearer now, seeing Jesus face-to-face in heaven. And in this, I rejoice.
"Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever." -Revelation 22:1-5
Charlotte Mann Lee Art 