| ENCOUNTERS WITH
SILVIA BATES.... I wrote and wrote and wrote tons of stuff, weekly, to Nick, from 84-86,and also mailed him a couple of canvases of portraits I painted of him for his birthday. I opened myself up completely in these letters and I guess Slyvia just responded because of my hard effort at reaching Nick. She was a very kind lady in her letters, and very much devoted to her son, Nick, I could tell. She told me that she had a toy store, and she liked the fantasy art I did, and sent me a fantasy art Christmas card once-wasn't that sweet of her? She told me that she hoped we could meet someday. She didn't exactly come out and say so in her letters, but I got the feeling her and her husband Roger were a little reserved in their feelings for Nick marrying Julieann, perhaps not thinking it was the best match up, since they knew thei r son so well. Looks like they were right. Silvia loved animals and had cats and a dog I think. She was a devoted grandmother and told me about Tajana when she was born, and I could tell she loved her very much. She told me that she and Roger started a huge scrapbook on their son, of many of the stuff that Nick received from his fans and how her and Roger looked over all the stuff. When I painted a portrait of Nick, from Arcadia days, with black hair and polka dot jacket (you can see that portrait Silvia saw, on my website on my arts page) Silvia remarked as only a loving mother could: "I see you captured that cheeky grin of his well." She also told me about the death of Andy Warhol and how Nick was very saddened about it. She also told me that she had wanted to set me up to meet Nick, when the band played here in Milwaukee, but her letter had reached me too late, and I had already seen them play. All and all she was a very supportive, thoughtful, kind person and I can see why Nick adores his mother so. ... I have lots of Art of Nick I did ... One of the portraits is one I sent Nick for his birthday, and his parents liked it very much and told me that they had it hanging up. |
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