I believe that people come into your life for a reason, just when you need them. Sometimes you know why and sometimes you may not. Along that same vein, I have a story to share.
In the early 2000’s, I had been painting for some time, but was in need for a little jumpstart. I was more than ready to change things up and push my current boundaries. The Chestnut Group, a plein air painting organization that I belong to, has a long history of inviting seasoned plein air painters to teach each year. They invited Camille Przewodek, and I enrolled in the workshop. You talk about getting information at the exact moment you are ready to receive it…well, I left that workshop a changed woman and I never looked back! Camille taught us how to manipulate and layer color in a new way, infusing our work with more excitement and vibration. While I have altered the information I learned from Camille to suit my personal painting style, I have always been grateful for her influence. She is hugely responsible for the change in the way I see color.
So this year, some eighteen-ish years later, I was a faculty member at the Plein Air Convention and Expo where I demoed for a large crowd. Camille came to watch me at work and made sure to catch me afterwards. She was so complimentary and supportive. The best part is I got to give her a big hug and tell her how her workshop all those years ago influenced my artistic path. It is a true gift to let someone know their worth. It is doubly so when just a few months later they pass away unexpectedly.
Camille died a few days ago from a brief illness, leaving behind a legacy of teaching, creating, and curiosity. I appreciated her for her sense of humor, her directness, and for the fabulous artist that she was. She leaves in her wake a body of beautiful artwork, family and friends who will forever miss her, and students who will move forward with the knowledge she bestowed upon them. She will be sorely missed, but I know she is at rest, basking in the north light.