Photo: Crescenciana Tan would paint simple watercolor images of her important life memories. Then her grandson, Kenneth, would enhance them to create a full picture of her life rediscovered.
I have said that stories are the best way for us to connect with other people, but stories are a wonderful way to connect generations, too.
Kenneth Tan said he was fortunate to have been able to spend time with his grandmother, Crescenciana, before she passed away in 2016 when she was 96 years old.
During their time together, “Lola,” as he called her, would recall stories from her life. Then she would create simple watercolor drawings depicting her specific memories. Kenneth added details to the drawings later to enhance his grandmother’s stories.
I found the story to be heartwarming for several reasons. First, for the time Kenneth was able to spend listening to his grandmother describe more than 80 impactful memories from her life, especially growing up in the Philippines. I imagine hearing her stories was like traveling back in time to an era he would never experience on his own.
Not only did Lola share history with her grandson, but she shared cultural aspects of her life that worked to shape the rest of her life — traits she passed down to her children, and eventually to Kenneth himself. CBS News described the project as a way to get a full picture for a life rediscovered.
Second, the process of working on the drawings allowed Kenneth and Lola to collaborate on a project that would be preserved for generations of family members.
A graphic designer by trade, preserving Lola’s memories through art gave Kenneth a sense of purpose. However, creating the drawings was actually Lola’s idea as a way to give her purpose, too.
What impressed me the most, was the insight Kenneth gained from that special time with his grandmother.
“We live through our stories. If the stories are gone, then that’s it,” Kenneth explained. “This is my way of grieving while keeping her present in my life.”
This is the type of project that would help preserve special memories of people and time they spent together. Perhaps a grandchild could paint a photo from a story recalled by a grandparent. Or, the story could be preserved in written form and kept with the artwork or photographs to create a treasured family keepsake.
Kenneth’s book is available on a website he created to promote the art at lolaxkenneth.com/crescenciana.
You can watch the CBS News video report below of Kenneth and his grandmother. An ad from CBS will play before the report.