The World of Frank Sudol and Heart in Heaven

In 2007, I received an unfinished work, created by my mentor Frank Sudol, by his wife Lois. It was a signature form by Frank and in a bittersweet experience – as losing my friend was still heavy on my heart – I worked with it to create a work based on his famous Ribbon Series. I gave the work an Asian flair and his Christmas Tree Farm emerged in the black background. The work was donated to the AAW for a live auction in honor of Frank and it raised $30,000 at the Portland symposium.

A promise was made in 2007 that I would receive one more piece to work with, another collaboration between Heaven and Earth / Frank and I. The vessel was turned by Frank and passed on to me by Ron Gerton. Time flies, life goes on, but eight years later I have fulfilled my promise, with an undisclosed amount given to Lois by an anonymous collector. Heart in Heaven is on its way to Canada. In creating this work, I felt that Frank is already settled in a better place and so, while still based on the Ribbon Series, I made this work more cheerful with the main focus on heavenly white and gold, protecting a hidden heart.