This week HIP HELLO is saying goodbye to Lizzie’s Paternal Grandmother Doris Hatch Cole. Having just lost her Maternal Grandfather at Christmas she’s pretty much still in shock. Losing two of her biggest creative influences will mean working even harder in 2012 to carry on everything that has been learned in the precious 34 years that she had to soak it all up. 

Doris (Grammy) was an incredibly talented, creative and loving individual. Mother to 8 children including Lizzie’s father Dan, she balanced her love for art and the challenges of motherhood on a daily basis. She was a water color artist, illustrator, collage master, sewing genius, painter, photographer, weaver, potter, gardener and was responsible for wonderful art programs and exhibits in the Niskayuna School district. She also started the Niskayuna Recreation Program out of her backyard one summer in an effort to simply keep her own children occupied. It is now, 40 years later something that Niskayuna, New York town parents don’t even think twice about.

Widowed in her 50’s, she focused on her grandchildren, and Lizzie was lucky enough to be local and spend countless weekends and afterschool days learning some of Grammy’s skills. Below is a photo of Lizzie age 10 (love the rockin’ side pony hair) during an after school sewing session. This photo titled “Apprentice” by Grammy was entered into a Kodak contest and won. She really knew when to stop and just capture a moment, even if that mean pulling her car to the side of the road to draw a pretty cottage, or photograph a field of wildflowers.

She taught everyone that if you want something, you can pretty much always figure out how to make it yourself. Not because you may not have money for it, but because you can. And it is true. From an outfit, to a pillow, to a toy, to a decoration, to a career or family goal.