A Quiet Inspiration
On Saturday, April 3, our dear Polly passed on. To say that she was my mother says so much and yet so little about who she was as a person. Her story is one of bravery and adventure, kindness, and love. Her light was bright, and she shared it with so many people. She did more than her fair share to make the world a better place. She had a huge impact on my life and the choices that I have made as a man and as an artist. I know that she has been an influence on so many others as well. She is no longer with us, but her inspiration lives on.
My mom’s childhood was difficult, but despite the adversity, she flourished. She met my dad, they got married, and they had the four of us. Even with such a young family, they made the difficult decision to leave the Philippines and everything they knew to start a new life. My childhood was good. There was a lot going on in our world, in our lives, and in our home, but my mom made everything flow. We felt her love. We saw her kindness and generosity extended to not only family and friends but to strangers and those in need. We witnessed her love and devotion to her faith, and her willingness to make the prayers of others her own as well.
Life’s twists and turns never got her down. Her tenacity allowed her to start new adventures and travel unexplored paths, showing us what was possible with faith and action. With her spirit as her guide, she opened her mind to enjoy life in new ways. Her love of art and all things beautiful led her to explore sketching and painting with both oil and watercolor creations. She loved to sew, cook, and travel the world—she spoke three languages. Her love for art and creativity even led her to explore work as a professional model through an agency at an age where most would not even consider such a possibility.
Above all else, my mom exuded love. She loved her family, of course, and she had a steady, tightly knit group of friends who meant the world to her. But she also made new friends everywhere she went—the restaurants where she and her husband would hang out for coffee, her church, every neighbor on her street. She loved people. She loved all of you. She had such a wonderful time at every single Polly release party! Talking to all of you and signing autographs gave her so much joy!
Polly magazine is named in honor of my mother. This magazine is about artistry and creation and the people who create. This magazine is about beauty and celebration of the goodness that exists in the world. Those are the things that were important to my mom. Those are the ideals that she instilled in me. She was the one who exposed me to art and expression, and she was the one who encouraged me to follow my own artistic path. She has always been my most unconditional supporter in every aspect of my life. She will be missed, but we will continue to honor her memory as we go about living our lives and as we continue to celebrate art and creation here at Polly.
