Gayle Walker

Gayle's book is now available!

Every Woman Is a World
Interviews with Women of Chiapas

By Gayle Walker and Kiki Suárez
Edited by Carol Karasik
Prologue/preface by Elena Poniatowska

Gayle and Kiki put a lot of work into this book, which documents the elder women of Chiapas, in the remote mountains and tropical forests of southern Mexico. They witnessed tumultuous change during their lifetimes, which in some cases spanned the entire twentieth century. Find out more about the book at http://www.utexas.edu/utpress/books/waleve.html

This website was created to celebrate the life and art of my beloved sister, Gayle Walker, a very gifted painter and photographer who tragically lost her battle with brain cancer in 2006. Gayle moved to Mexico in 1979 from her home in Atlanta and became a well respected artist with shows across Mexico and occasional shows in the the U. S. Collectors of her works span from Russia to South America . She was invited to join the Guenda art group, a collection of female artists with ties to Oaxaca , and has been a part of several Guenda shows in Europe and Mexico . She was also well known in the Lacandone Indian community in Mexico, and became good friends with Chan K'in Viejo, their spiritual leader until his death in 1996. When he became very ill, she had the honor of rushing him to a small airfield so he could board a plane to return to his family in his last days

It was with a mixture of sadness and joy that my wife Leigh and I traveled to Mexico City after in August, 2006, three months after Gayle's death, to attend the opening of a Guenda group exhibiton, Geografias Personales, at the prestigious Galeria Casa Lamm. It was the first time we had seen Gayle's latest paintings. They were stunningly beautiful and impressive. It made her loss the more difficult, realizing how her talent had reached such heights, yet we would never know the heights she would have reached. We felt her presence again that evening, when during the exhibition a thundersstorm began raging outside and a bolt of lightning knocked out the lights. Leigh and looked at each other and said, "Gayle's here!"

Gayle was a graduate of Georgia State University, obtaining her BA in Graphic Design in 1972, and a Masters of Art Education in 1976. She was diagnosed with a severe form of brain cancer in 2005, and passed away in Atlanta in May, 2006. During her illness, she was a constant source of love and inspiration to all who came in contact with her. She often encouraged everyone to "just love each other" and to be happy. I and my family miss her dearly and have yet to totally reach her goal of being happy - it is difficult without her.

Donations in memory of Gayle may be made to the Student Services Emergency Support Fund at Georgia State University . This fund helps out students who have faced personal and professional crises and need immediate help to stay in class, and often have no other family support. Make checks payable to the "VPSS Emergency Support Fund" at GSU Foundation, P. O. Box 3963 , Atlanta , Ga. 30302-3963 .

On behalf of our parents, Don and Jean Walker of Roswell, my wife Leigh, and Miguel Angel Anzures of Mexico, Gayle's friend and companion for many years, we would like to thank all of Gayle's friends for their expressions of love and support. Gayle was a friend to many, especially the native Lacandone. We wish all of you well, and hope that you all experience with abundance Gayle's favorite words, which she had posted around our parent's house during her illness - Love and Gratitude.

Jeff Walker
Atlanta

If you would like further information, please contact me at info@gaylewalker.com