This painting of Pat, one in an intended series celebrating her stylish hats, is a memory of the good times we shared. Her wonderful smile and joyful spirit shine through in the burgundy hat with its vibrant trim and playful earrings. Crafting this painting, and later the handmade frame, held bittersweet echoes of what might have been, reminding me that life’s twists and turns shape our experiences and inspire our art.