This is the lifetime collection of works by Dora Raphael, a Canadian Swiss artist. Dora was always a natural illustrator and often did portraits and flowers in pencils in her youth. The later years saw a switch to oils and the surrealistic genre. After suffering a stroke in 2002, Dora's style changed to a more impressionistic feel and she continues to paint animals and nature scenes, even though bound to a wheelchair. She is my mother.
The picture of the yellow flowers was painted by Dora in oils over a period of many weeks. Her style was the black background for many of her pictures. She called it " A promise to Joe" Joe being her one and only son who she loved dearly. This painting now sits at 588 Clinton St Toronto, where Joe lived for 19 years and it is his legacy to the house. Sadly Joe passed away suddenly only 4 weeks before his mother. Now they are together for eternity.