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Exhibits honor the life and work of longtime Geneva Lakes Art Association member

Photo

Artist Gail Eakright, who passed away Nov. 17, 2009.

A watercolor by Gail Eakright, who died Nov. 17, 2009 after battling cancer.

FONTANA -- Gail Eakright, who died Nov. 17 after a difficult battle with cancer, had a vision as both an artist and leader, says Geneva Lake Art Association President Carol Smith.

To celebrate Eakright's passion and work, a special exhibition of her art will travel to libraries in Fontana and Lake Geneva.

The exhibit will be on display this month at the Fontana Public Library and February at the Lake Geneva Library.

"The Geneva Lakes Art Association honors our former member and leader Gail Eakright. We miss both her special vision as an artist and as a leader in GLAA," said Smith in a news release.

Eakright's unique contributions to GLAA included gathering information and creating the organization's monthly newsletter, as well as special fund-raising activities during the organization's annual summer event, Art in the Park.

She also coordinated the production a children's coloring book about local history between the GLAA and the Lake Geneva History Museum.

Eakright is best known for her lovely floral watercolors, as well as charming representations of local barns.

While trained as a secondary ESL teacher and beloved in that position, she devoted a good deal of her summers and retirement developing her artistic technique.

Her former GLAA teachers, Barbara Duer Johnson and Dianne Syverson recently wrote about Gail's work: "Gail's visual art shows her amazing talents in photography, drawing and painting.

"She had a PERFECT eye for composition. During class critiques, she was able to use her sense of harmony to move all of us to be more aware of composition and design and thus, make us better painters.

"Enthusiasm for art and life described Gail!

"Each class period, we would feed our souls, as well as our bodies (scones, muffins, etc.), peppered with her incredible sense of humor!

"Her favorite story is how she sold one of her first paintings: She was carrying the painting down the street and someone saw it and bought it right on the spot.

"Gail was an ideal student in classes and an eager co-worker in the Geneva Lake Art Association and the art school. She never complained about what she was doing with the Association and kept us laughing, no matter what the crisis was!

"Her paintings told stories of her beliefs, travels and family. She saw beauty in everything and was able to transfer what she saw and felt in her artwork.

"She could have been a professional photographer; her photos often took our breath away - such as the Tibetan monks praying and the lovers on the beach."

Fellow GLAA member and friend, Sharna Ahern, composed a memorial to Gail entitled, "I Couldn't See You Then, But I will See You Again." It was read as part of the memorial celebration of Eakright's life:

"I couldn't see you then. You left too quickly. I never got to say goodbye.

But I will see you again. In the quiet moments when the sun shines over the lake where we swam and walked the paths.

I will see you in your garden of fragrant blooms, birds feasting on the seeds and sweetness you left for them.

I will see you in the books you loved to read, thirsting for the knowledge they imparted or the depth of understanding you uncovered.

I will see you in the paint-peeled barns you once drew with an artist's keen eye.

I will see you in the friends you laughed with and cried with, showing your compassion in so many thoughtful ways.

I will see you in your children and your children's children as they journey on with all that was the best in you inside of them.

I will meet you, only God knows when, and then, my friend, I will see you again."

Eakright was also a member of the American Association of University Women, the Fontana Garden Club, several book clubs and St. Benedict Catholic Church in Fontana. Gail Eakright was a gentle soul with a strong and brave spirit.

Eakright is survived by Lee, her husband of 39 years, her mother Barbara Sullivan, three children; Alexis (Joshua) Murphy of Richmond Heights, MO, Victoria (Joseph) McHugh of Fontana, WI and Joshua (Alicia) Eakright of Minneapolis, MN, 5 grandchildren; John, Declan and Logan McHugh and Sadie and Jack Murphy, 5 brothers and sisters; Nancy (Wes Adkison) Sullivan, Thomas (Kathy) Sullivan, Jackie Sullivan, Kevin (Enid) Sullivan and Victoria (Jay) Stephan. She was preceded in death by her father John D. Sullivan.