| Connie Lindqvist (1950 - 2002) | |||||||
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Connie died suddenly in her sleep on Thursday 7th November 2002. The funeral took place at St. Mary's Parish Church in Rye on Thursday 14th November 2002 and her ashes were scattered in Rye Bay on Saturday 7th December 2002.
Connie in Stockholm with a friend |
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'It is with great sadness we report the passing of Connie Lindqvist, the lady who has filled so many of our covers with her amazing pictures of Rye. She was just 52. The Christmas cover on this issue is Connie's work. It portrays her ability as an artist along with her undoubted love of Rye.
Connie Lindqvist was born in Finland in 1950, she came to Rye in 1976 and had lived here since then. Her ability as a painter made her very sought after by the potteries of Rye. She did work for all of them at one time or another. Biddy Cole at Rye Pottery made a successful appeal to Ted Heath, the then Prime Minister, to get her work permit extended so she could stay in the country.
Connie was the owner and skipper of Vemara, a thirty foot gaff cutter in which she sailed the English Channel and Irish and Baltic Seas during summer months over the past seventeen years. Living aboard and sailing a traditional vessel like Vemara is one of the reasons that made Connie such a splendid marine artist. Add this attribute to her love of Rye, its people and the abundance of marine birds, animals and plant life in the area she was able to capture in her work and it is possible to see what a wealth of creative power Rye has lost with her demise.
Connie, who was one of Rye's greatest champions, leaves a gap that will never be filled, but her work will live forever, for us and many after to enjoy. Everyone at Rye's Own pass on their sincere sympathy to Connie's partner Peter and her son David.'