Lynne McWilliams

“My mom passed away in 2012, way too young; she was going to be 93. She said she wanted to be 104. She changed her blood pressure medicine, got AFIB, and had a massive stroke. She never did anything small. She had a codicil in her will that her art not be forgotten and thrown away. So I took that to heart; that’s my part—to get her out in the world. My dream would be to have a museum with her art all protected. People could come in and look at it, and also have a part where people could come, no matter how old you are, no matter your abilities, to create art. Everyone has artistic talent. People would have the opportunity to find out that they really do have talent.

“When I was three or four, she had four kids, and she got multiple sclerosis. She was healed by faith. She was hanging onto the counter and said, ‘God, take me or heal me’—she had these kids to take care of. She felt a white light and was healed. So I grew up knowing that there was a higher power. When my mom went out to paint, that was her purpose. She would ask to be a conduit for the beauty of the world to flow through her onto the canvas.

“I think at some point, if you’ve been given a lot, you have to give back. Or else, what’s the point of living unless you give back some of the good that’s been given to you? I truly believe her work needs to be out in the world; I truly believe it makes people happy.”