My Sister Died on Thursday

She was a respected fine artist, a beloved wife, sister, friend, mother and grandmother, and a beautiful soul. It's been about seven years since she was diagnosed with stage 4 sarcoma, and she and her husband, who was in it with her the whole way, put up a hell of a fight.

Ordinarily I think it's tacky to drag your griefs around in public, and I wouldn't even post this, except that Liz and her daughter Kelly worked up an obituary she liked before she died and I wanted you to see it. We're putting it in various newspapers as well. It costs an arm and a leg. Did you know that? Newspaper publishing is going to finance itself on the backs of the grieving. (Yes, I'm angry that my sister is dead, as you can see, and I'll attack anything that comes within range. Newspapers, the governor... may he rot...) Anyway, here it is.

Mary Elisabeth "Liz" Donovan, renowned artist and beloved wife, mother and grandmother, died peacefully on February 24, 2011 at her home in Melbourne Beach FL after a long battle with cancer. Born in Philadelphia PA, Liz was the author of Painting Sunlit Still Lifes in Watercolor, published in 1997 by North Light Books, which has influenced a generation of still life artists. A resident of St. Michaels MD and Melbourne Beach FL, Liz moved to Ellicott City MD in the late 1960s. She began studying graphic design and fine art at the Corcoran School of Art and Maryland Institute of Art. She later studied oil painting and drawing with David Zuccarini and has taken the workshops of Don Stone, Jeanne Dobie and Alex Powers.

Liz Donovan earned the special honor of being selected as a Signature Member of the National Watercolor Society and formerly served on the Board of Governors as a Signature Member of the Baltimore Watercolor Society. As a Signature Member of the Washington Society of Landscape Painters and Plein Air Painters of the Treasure Coast, as well as many other artists' societies, Liz's work has received numerous awards in juried exhibitions. Three of her paintings have been honored with awards of distinction and featured in Rockport Publishers' volumes, The Best of Watercolor 2, Painting Texture, and Painting Light and Shadow. Her paintings are also included in Rockport Publishers' books The Best of Watercolor and Flowers in Watercolor and Quarry Publishers' Watercolor Expressions. Liz Donovan was named a finalist in competitions of The Artist's Magazine and American Artist. The April 1999 issue of American Artist magazine presented her work in an article titled "Still Lifes and Sunlight." More recently, Liz Donovan won "Best in Show" at the 2006 Local Color plein air exhibit in Easton MD.

Liz was preceded in death by her parents Herbert and Georgena Gallison. She will be greatly missed by her husband of 48 years, C. Richard "Dick" Donovan, her sister Kate (Harold) Dunn of Lambertville NJ, her children Kelly (Brian) Anderson of Santa Rosa Beach FL, Karen Donovan (Bob Aydlett) of San Francisco CA, Tim (Heidi) Donovan of South Riding VA and her adoring grandchildren Maiti and Cedric Donovan.

Private family services will be held, memories and condolences can be shared at
www.brownliemaxwell.com.
Memorial Donations can be made to the Sarcoma Foundation of America or the Corcoran School of Art.