Talented and inspiring Non is warmly remembered

There has been an outpouring of sadness and shock following the death of popular local artist Non Waters.

She died peacefully at home at Clonkeen, The Pigeons, on Sunday (November 28), according to her death notice on rip.ie, following an illness courageously fought.

Since the sad news filtered out into the local community there has been a plethora of touching tributes online from fellow artists, those she taught in various roles over the years, the many people who appreciated her work, and so many others she touched in various ways in Glasson, Athlone and further afield.

A post on Glasson Craft Gallery's Facebook on Monday, recalled the “beautifully talented and inspiring Non Waters” who held her Artastic children's exhibition in the gallery for many years. “A very talented artist and the most charming, positive lady you would ever meet, she has left a rich legacy to the many young children she taught,” it added in tribute.

Fellow artist Anna Boles expressed her shock and sadness at the passing of Non, describing her as the “kindest, gentlest most hugely creative talented soul” she had ever met. First meeting her at Non's exhibition in Fernhill back in 2018, Anna said her art really touched a chord with her.

“We spoke of how exhilarating painting is and yet how so desperately isolating our creative minds can feel from time to time. We just connected in a very rare way that words really can't describe,” stated Anna, who said her thoughts are with Non's family and friends who have lost this “thoughtful, caring beautiful person” who she was honoured to know.

The many condolences on rip.ie spoke of a special, gentle, caring person who always had a smile on her face.

Christened Rhiannon, an old Welsh name, she told the Westmeath Independent back in 2015 that her sister shortened her name in their youth and it just stuck from there.

Having grown up in the Middle East and Far East because her parents were in the diplomatic service, Non moved around frequently in her youth listing Kuwait, Laos, Thailand, Japan and Greece as just a flavour of the places she spent her early life before returning to settle in the UK.

While art was always part of her life, when she spoke to this paper some years ago, Non recalled her worries that she would not make a living from it, taking time out to travel and do other things before studying at Winchester School of Art. She worked in marketing before teaching and working on various art projects in the UK.

Non ended up settling in the Glasson area after meeting her husband John, a cousin of her art school friend, at a party in England. She embraced her new home and her role as a devoted mother and a talented artist. Her children's art classes proved extremely popular, as were her solo exhibitions and teaching jobs in Athlone Community Training Centre, Athlone IT and others.

She also won many fans for her “Guinness men” artwork of older men at the bar, her fun caricatures, and in more recent times, her colourful pieces inspired by Celtic mythology. Non was delighted in February when her pink-haired goddess Brigid was spectacularly illuminated on the walls of a Kildare cathedral and locally on Athlone Castle as part of the captivating Herstory Light Show event.

She also spoke movingly a short time later about her own cancer diagnosis and the importance of art as a therapy for her. That, in turn, inspired her to create a stunning painting depicting Airmid, the Irish goddess of healing, which she hoped would inspire others.

Rhiannon Waters (née Davies) is sadly missed by her husband John, her loving daughter, Annie, sons Conor, Ryan, Jack and Ruairi, her sisters Cei, Kim and brother Nicholas, sister-in-law Jennifer, nephews, nieces, relatives and all her many friends and work colleagues.

Her funeral Mass took place today (Wednesday, December 1) in Tubberclair Church followed by Mount Jerome Cremotorium at 2.30pm.