Tribute - Vicki Chambers

She Is Gone

You can shed tears that she is gone

Or you can smile because she has lived

You can close your eyes and pray that she will come back

Or you can open your eyes and see all that she has left

Your heart can be empty because you can't see her

Or you can be full of the love that you shared

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday

Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday

You can remember her and only that she is gone

Or you can cherish her memory and let it live on

You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back

Or you can do what she would want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

David Harkins b.1959

A poem read out yesterday at the funeral of a lovely lady whose life and enthusiasm are truly missed by all of those whose lives she touched.
(The poem was also read by the Queen at the funeral of the Queen Mother.)

Those of us at Thames Valley Contemporary Textile group have already been missing Vicki through her lengthy illness. I will really miss her enthusiasm and joy of making beautiful things. Her eagerness and energy was a great catalyst for getting others involved.

Vicki teaching us how to make silk paper to create ethereal pieces.

Vicki went and bought lunch for us all when we were so busy hanging the Whatever Floats Exhibition at Slough Museum.

Photo credits: Jane Glennie

Vicki's installation piece.

Vicki did genealogy research and was inspired by a photo of 'The Salvage Kid' who collected papers and letters to recycle in WWII. This was a moving piece designed to make you think about what happened to people's lives due to letters missing or damaged due to the war.

Like the poem says, we can smile because she has lived. We can open our eyes and see the inspiration of life around us...and then go on to make something that will help others see and be inspired.