"Eenie and Patty" Jackman

Through the amazing social network, Facebook, I recently became reacquainted with Barbara Jackman, who lived down the hill with us in Dobbs Ferry when I was a kid.  My sister Nancy played with her sisters, Eenie (Maureen) and Patty.  I remember climbing the dirt piles at the house that was being built next to theirs on Luzern Road.  I knew that my mother had painted Eenie and Patty, and that she won a prize at the Dobbs Ferry Women’s Club show with the painting, but was not aware of the details of how the painting came to be, 

Barbaram Jackman Lillo said, “Every member of the Jackman family has a photo of this painting.  It remains everyone’s favorite. Your Mom was a talented artist whom I remember well.”

My sister Nancy remembers back to that night in 1965,” We had a sleep over at the house and Eenie and Patty were dressed in matching pink PJ's... “

 Can you imagine, as a child going to a sleepover and having your portrait painted in oil, that evening by your friend's mother?  When inspiration struck, Janice was not one to let the occasion pass her by!  I am beginning to see why my friends say that there was something different about the Candela household.

And Patty herself says, "I remember the day this was done. I tried sooooo hard to sit still.  I also remember every room in the Candela house so vividly as well as the backyard-how nice and flat it was with green grass and the stairs leading down to it and Mr. Candela working on cars all the time in the garage. I'm surprised I'm remembering this so clearly considering I thought I forgot so much of my childhood.  It's all coming back to me now. Isn't that a song???"

Below the article from the Herald Statesman announcing the winners of the Women's Club show.  Eenie and Patty took first prize in the portrait category: