Don't Worry; Be Happy and Carol Ann

Okay; I know I promised a lot of people I would have my website up and running by the next meeting of SOAL. I made huge head way this evening; but still have a ways to go. Feel free to check it out and you will see. Some of my links are not working yet; but I have at least got several pages up! http://jeanbourque.com

Many of you know our dear freind and fellow artist Carol Ann Rose recently past away. It was with Carol Ann and her gallery that I had rebuilt my website & hand coded it. This has been in my flash drive for over a year. I had uploaded at MTC college website and my website was intertwined with Carol Ann and her art work and A Carolina Gallery. I am real grateful her husband Tom was kind enough to let all the artists meet at A Carolina Gallery after the funeral. Only Carol Ann; would request a funeral where they played the CD; "Don't Worry; Be Happy". You know I have thought about that a lot; that is how Carol Ann lived. Right up to the end even with stage 4 cancer she believed and she didn't worry; she was happy despite the pain. I miss her a lot and having her images intertwined with my work has been a blessing and has taught me a lot.

Many people have said I am a prolific artist and you all know Guy Lipscomb is; but did you know Carol Ann was? She did so much art in the years she has been an artist; I am amazed.

Some of you know about the Wild Womens Tea Party a few years ago; where I was the art director for the silent art auction. This was were 30 artists volunteered to transform a tea cup or tea pot into a work of art. Of course; Carol Ann and I each did one and so did many of our friends. Her Gallery was one of the two drop off points for the tea cups and tea pots. So Tom Rose filmed most of them at the gallery and I have lots of pictures of those and I thought maybe some of the artists or the world may just find them interesting. Anyway; I will take Carol Ann's advice and Don't Worry. I will always remember how much she laughed and how she could get me laughing too. She was happy woman and I am too. So ....if your having a bad day and not inspired; think of our dear friend and remember her laugh and how she smiled and laughed right up to the end inspite of severe pain.

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Carol Ann; a truly wonderful soul; that I had the blessing to know. I will always miss her but be thankful for the time I had with her. She was truly special.

The final words..."Don't Worry; Be Happy" will forever ring in my mind.