Paeroa artist’s legacy will live on
In life, Dawn Elliott was full of colour, and so too in death.
At the Paeroa artist’s funeral service on Tuesday, ornate frames holding paintings of landscapes, still lifes, and figures adorned the packed Memorial Hall. Paintbrushes protruded from a flower arrangement, and her casket was hand-painted in blues, yellows and pinks.
Dawn, 81, died on June 25 but according to friends and family, her legacy will live on. Upon moving to Paeroa in 1996, Dawn became a member of the Paeroa Society of Arts, and initiated an art exhibition known as ‘Paeroa’s Art in Windows’, wherein shop windows and businesses displayed art relating to life in Paeroa. She taught painting classes at Paeroa College until
2009, then rented a venue to continue teaching art on a voluntary basis for the society.
She married Ronald Elliott in
1959, and together they had five children. It was Ronald who, over the last few years, was determined to see his wife awarded a Queen’s Service Medal in recognition of her achievements in art education. This year, on June 1, she was finally named a recipient.
Unfortunately, due to Dawn’s ill health, she was never able to be presented with the award. The QSM will now head to the Governor General’s office to await presentation to Dawn’s family.
In a tribute to his mother, Dawn’s son Stephen said her legacy would live on.
‘‘There are only three types of people in this world: those that let it happen, those that watch it happen, and those that make it happen.
‘‘Mum was unique in the sense that she was all three,’’ he said.
‘‘Mum was not a nobody,’’ Stephen said, ‘‘and she never considered herself a somebody, yet she will leave this world as Dawn Elliot, QSM. World famous in Paeroa, just like L&P.’’
Paeroa Arts Society president Jan Clark said the art classes Dawn taught would always be known as ‘Dawn’s Art Group’.
‘‘She made me promise, more than once just to be sure, that I would continue her class in her absence’’.