Last week I was cleaning out my closet and found an old straw beach bag that my mom used all the time, but it was falling apart.
I have a lot of memories attached to the bag. My mom carried it with us whenever we went to the beach up at Leech Lake, or spent the day at the dock at our family's cabin, the 5-A. It was full of beer, pop, a John Grisham novel and Cheetoes.
Anyway, I had been using it myself this summer and was feeling attached to it, and when the colorful braided straw started to unravel, it was a major bummer. It just seemed like a waste to throw it away. I wished I could make a project out of it, but I didn't have any ideas, so I sent it to Carol Mullen.
When I met Carol this summer, I was amazed and inspired by her artistic process. It begins with ongoing junk collecting, constantly combing antique stores and junk yards, finding things that catch her eye and then she creates little "people" with them. (She will have some of them at the Affordable Art exhibit next week at the Fuller Lodge). I've been watching a lot of Fraggle Rock lately, and her studio is like Margorie, the all knowing Trash Heap oracle.
Anyway, seeing her in action makes me want to toss things into the mix and see what happens. I gave her a black and white photo of my dad when I first met her, which she copied and put into her photo file/ She sent me a note saying that she would put the bag to good use.
I was really happy to know that the bag will have a new life as a piece of art. But it's not just about that particular bag. For the past six years I have been going through some stage of grief, and it's hard for not to get really attached to things that my parents owned, and get really depressed when they get old and fall apart. I've got this red sweater that my mom wore in high school and then she gave it to me and I wear it all the time. But the buttons have fallen off and there's a snag in the elbow. It's like a metaphor for death.
Anyway, I'm trying to learn from Carol, and not try to let the things I have just sit and rot, but if they get old I can see if I can turn it into something else that I can use, or find a way to display it in a meaningful way.
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It was really nice to read this post. I just parted with my Grandfather's old rocking chair. It was one of the hardest things for me to do but it needed to be done. We just don't have room in our house for it. Once it was gone I felt a lot better, it was almost cathartic. I knew it was going to a good home. The lady that came by was really excited about it and told me it would be perfect in her home in WR. Even if that was all a show, I'm going to believe it. It's very hard to get rid of things that are so important and hold so many memories but we have to keep telling ourselves that the things are not those that we lost. I know it was hard but I also think it's an important part of grieving...letting go. Do you still have the sweater? Maybe you could turn it into a nice tote or bag...or use the fabric and buttons to make a new hat. If you can't do that, maybe someone would be able to for you. I don't know, it's just a thought. Thank you for the article.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kristy.
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