This is one of my favorite pictures of my mom . . .
as . . . Artist!!
I have such vivid memories of my mom in her "Art Basement"
with an easel here, and a pottery wheel there,
a kiln in the furnace room . . .
and cabinets, and cabinets stocked full of supplies.
It was like a playground to her . . . she loved being there . . .
and I loved watching her!!
She was always doing something with art . . . always!!
painting. . . sculpting . . . paper-making . . .
and woodblock printing were some of her favorites.
I remember her working with her paint brushes
and the smell of the paints . . .
the papermaking screens and the feel of the pulp . . .
the turning of the pottery wheel - watching the blob of clay turn
into something truly wonderful!
And my favorite thing of all . . .
was watching her carve into a simple piece of wood
with the same exact tools my grandmother had used years earlier.
I loved watching her . . . I loved being there . . .
I remember wanting to be just like her!!
(I unfortunately didn't get the same "art" gene - as I was adopted)
And - no matter how many art classes I took or how much I tried . . .
it just didn't come as easy for me as it did for my mom.
I luckily knew the difference, choose a different path,
and am very happy and grateful for that!! :)
I do still love art as a hobby though . . .
but - when you meet someone
who has been given a true gift of an artful life . . .
you instantly know it . . .
and it is amazing to watch them . . .
"do their thing"!!
Somewhere . . . I have my mothers and my grandmothers
original woodblocks as well as all the old tools . . .
It is funny - as I have been thinking about them a lot lately . . .
I think that today . . .
I will get them out . . . look at them . . . touch them . . .
and maybe . . . just maybe - be a bit more inspired :)
Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!!
xoxo - liz