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Chilliwack artist’s hand-painted gumboots walk back into her life after 30 years

Holly McKeen gave the boots to a thrift store and unbeknownst to her, a friend bought them
Paul Henderson
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A pair of gumboots Chilliwack artist Holly KcKeen hand-painted 30 years ago and donated to a thrift store walked back into her life over Christmas.

McKeen said that it was about 30 years ago when she painted two flowery pairs of gumboots for her husband Ken and their young daughter Jamie as Christmas presents.

Ken and young Jamie McKeen with the gumboots mom/wife Holly painted for them 30 years ago, then donated to a thrift store. Turns out, family friend Judy bought Ken’s boots and returned them to Holly over the holidays. (Submitted by Holly McKeen)
Ken and young Jamie McKeen with the gumboots mom/wife Holly painted for them 30 years ago, then donated to a thrift store. Turns out, family friend Judy bought Ken’s boots and returned them to Holly over the holidays. (Submitted by Holly McKeen)

“They wore those flowery boots for their outdoor chores until Jamie outgrew hers and one day I gave both pairs up to my favourite local thrift store for another family to enjoy,” McKeen wrote in a New Year’s Day Facebook post.

Just before Christmas, while out hiking on a favourite trail with her friends, McKeen said a woman in colourful hand-painted flowery tights passed her group. The tights reminded her of the gumboots, and she told her friend Judy McCormick about painting them 30 years ago.

“As I told the story, Judy said with a slightly surprised and pondering look that she also had a flowery pair of hand-painted gumboots, and that she’d found them in a thrift store way back when,” McKeen recalled.

“We stopped in disbelief and I asked ‘were they blue with purple lupines like that gal’s pants?’ She responded ‘actually more of a turquoise,’ and I said ‘No way!’”

McKeen said her next question revealed their shared taste in favourite thrift stores, specifically Bibles for Missions (now called Mission Thrift Store) in Chilliwack where she donated the boots.

Soon after McKeen donated the boots, McCormick bought them.

“We’ve told a lot of stories over the years, but we had never made this connection that Judy owned a piece of our family history, that had held a spot at her house for several decades! What are the chances?!”

So just before New Year’s, McCormick showed up at the McKeens’ house for dinner, gumboots on her feet, to much excitement and laughter.

“She returned those very special boots to live on with us once again,” McKeen wrote. “Our Judy has been a very good guardian of them for almost 30 years and the universe unfolded this week in one more small and amazing way.”

Holly McKeen’s friend Judy McCormick with the gumboots Holly painted for her husband Ken 30 years ago, then donated to a thrift store. Judy bought them and has been holding on to them for nearly 30 years. (Submitted by Holly McKeen)
Holly McKeen’s friend Judy McCormick with the gumboots Holly painted for her husband Ken 30 years ago, then donated to a thrift store. Judy bought them and has been holding on to them for nearly 30 years. (Submitted by Holly McKeen)

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