It’s been said that an artist is never truly gone. While they may not be here physically, their spirit and legacy lives on through the work they create. That concept holds true for some of the most famous artists in history. It also holds true for a young girl from Delaware.
On May 14, 10-year-old Taryn Martin will be honored for her artwork during Delaware’s Arbor Day Ceremony. It will be a bittersweet moment when her name is announced however. Taryn, along with her mother, 42-year-old Tricia Martin, both died after a car accident in Frederica, Delaware earlier this month.
Tricia Martin served as the principal for Milford Central Academy, which has over 1,000 students in 6th through 8th grades.
"Our entire district is mourning her death,” said Milford School District superintendent Phyllis Kohel. “Tricia was an admired and respected member of our staff. She had the difficult task of running a school of approximately 1040 students, but did so with enthusiasm and caring. The students and staff at Central Academy as well as everyone in our district will miss her terribly."
Tricia’s daughter, Taryn, was a student at W.B. Simpson Elementary School in Camden, Delaware. The young girl had a talent for art, a talent that was put on full display when she created a poster in honor of Arbor Day, a holiday that celebrates and encourages the planting and caring of trees.
The poster features vibrant, eye-catching colors, including a bright yellow sun, light blue skies, green grass and an orange tree. Written in black are the words, “Trees are terrific…in cities…and towns!”
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Taryn’s work was submitted to the Delaware Forest Service’s annual Arbor Day Poster Contest.
On Wednesday, the Forest Service announced the winners statewide. Taryn’s art was named the best poster in Kent County for grades 3-4.
The winners will be honored during a ceremony on May 14 at McIlvaine Early Childhood Center in Magnolia, Delaware.
The ceremony will serve as a painful reminder of two lives that were lost. Yet it will also be a testament to the legacies of a talented little girl and her loving mother. These legacies will continue to shine as brightly as the colors that Taryn created.
