Painting Sunrises Daily: One Artist’s Bright Journey Through Grief and Hope

Denise Marie Walker, a 60-year-old artist from Sutton Coldfield, found a unique way to cope with the grief of losing her mother. On the first anniversary of her mother's death, Denise began a project where she painted a sunrise every single day for a year. She chose sunrises instead of sunsets because, to her, sunrises represent hope and new beginnings. Denise used both watercolour and oil paints to capture the beauty of the morning sky, often using bright colours like yellow, red, pink, and blue. Each morning, Denise packed her paints and brushes into a rucksack and headed outdoors, no matter the weather. She spent about two hours each day painting the sunrise, making it a part of her daily routine. The project started as a way to help her mental health after the loss of her mother, Josephine, who had been admitted to hospital with osteoarthritis and later developed Covid, sepsis, and pneumonia. Denise received a heartbreaking phone call while on her way to work, telling her that her mother only had two hours to live. Josephine spent two months in the hospital before passing away at home. The pain of losing her mother was soon followed by the loss of her aunt Ann, who was diagnosed with dementia shortly after Josephine's death. Denise struggled with her mental health during this difficult time and found it hard to function in her daily life. To help herself heal, Denise started painting sunrises at Barr Beacon, a hill that overlooks the cemetery and the surrounding hills. Painting in this peaceful place made her feel close to her mother and gave her a sense of routine and purpose. Denise continued her sunrise paintings every day for a year, braving all kinds of weather to capture the changing colours of the sky. After completing her year-long project, Denise decided to sell her sunrise paintings at arts and craft fairs across the country. She wanted to raise money for Myton Hospice in Warwick, where she volunteers. At the hospice, Denise helps people who are facing the end of their lives, offering support and comfort to patients and their families. She feels that volunteering at the hospice has given her a new perspective on life and loss. Denise says that painting sunrises and helping others has transformed her. She feels like a new person and is much happier now. She is proud of how she faced her darkest days and found a responsible way to cope with her grief. Denise hopes that her story will inspire others to find creative ways to deal with loss and to support charities that help people in need. Her sunrise paintings are not just works of art; they are symbols of hope, healing, and new beginnings. Denise's journey shows how art and helping others can bring light even in the darkest times.