Janet Cramer

Teaming up with Artist’s Edge was perfect. Janet was a customer there for years and during that time became friends with the manager, Derek Gundy. Derek was very fond of her --- and he wrote this invitation letter to the artists, encouraging them to apply for a scholarship.

“Dear Artists,

The big date is set. We are ready to begin selling Janet Cramer's paintings to raise money for young NCA art student scholarships. The fun begins this Friday (tomorrow) October 21st. We have already sold a few pieces and we are on our way...Please accept this invitation to come by our humble art store and share in the experience.

From 3-8pm we'll be celebrating the life & artwork of Janet Cramer, a high- spirited, energetic, and creative spirit who always was looking for ways to inspire those around her. Shortly after being hired by Artists' Edge and taking over the Poulsbo store in 2006, I got to know Janet. One day she mentioned that she had many picture frames she was wanting to "find good homes for", and so I picked them up from her apartment on Bainbridge Island, cramming the back of my tiny Honda Civic with all the stuff. Within 2 days I had found many appreciative artists who could re-use the frames. Artists' Edge was a good hub to find those people. But I never forgot the energy and enthusiasm she had for making sure I would find people that would really appreciate them.

In the following years I met Nancy Heckler, who began bringing painting after painting, original watercolors to me for framing. They were filled with colors I recognized from that visit to Janet Cramer's home years before. Nancy was Janet's daughter. It took a few framing sessions for me to figure it out. The connection that mother and daughter had through the paintings was very inspiring, and to this day, I have Janet's watercolor images in my mind...with vague recollections of detailed discussions Nancy and Janet had about each painting.

Then...as time went on, Nancy would visit with a new work for framing, but this time with a story of what all of us will eventually deal with, the impending loss of a parent and loved one. It was clear that Janet Cramer was beginning the journey from this world into the next, and you could actually even see it in the paintings.