The special piece I mentioned in my previous post about
handmade books is a portfolio of my grandmother's artwork. When she passed away, we cleaned out her apartment and found her portfolio stashed away in the back of a closet. It was full of pieces she had completed when she studied fashion in art school in the early 1930s.
I was smitten, and touched, and amazed by every one of them. Each piece had visible brush strokes and pencil marks made by the hand of my grandmother. Her name was carefully lettered at the top of each page, and some even had grades scribbled on the bottom—A+, of course. Go Nana!
These papers were big. They measured 14"x20" so, though I marveled at them for a while, they eventually ended up stashed in a closet once again . Last year I decided these pieces of family history needed to be liberated, and I had the idea to make mini portfolios. I scanned the art (and tiled and scanned some more), and shrunk the images to fit in small books. I made three of them and gave one each to my father, my aunt, and my sister.
I'm kicking myself for not making one for my own family at the time but I will make one someday, so that my girls can flip through and see their great-grandmother's art whenever they please.
Her pictures are glamorous and sleek, with a graphic quality that is so very reflective of that time.
I have always been curious to know what, exactly, the assignments were. Check out this sailor pattern. Looks like a textile pattern to me, and I am tempted to put an order in with
Spoonflower. Imagine custom fabric arriving at my doorstep, designed by my very own Nana, some 70 years ago?
Oh, the possibilities...
Okay your grandma rocks! What an incredible artist. I don't know your family, but from looking at your grandma's art, I can see where you get your talent and spirit! Thanks so much for sharing. Very inspirational. xoxo Angela
ReplyDeleteThat is so cool. Your grandmother was very talented. It would be amazing to have fabric made from your grandma's designs. I love to note the artistic lineage in your family. It seems art is a way of life over there and I'm so glad you share it with us.
ReplyDeleteOK this kind of thing totally gets me choked up. Go Nana is right. How amazing to find this treasure and then, being you, creating these mini portfolios for your people. Photos are one thing but this is her WORK. Who she was. Amazing to me. what a treasure.
ReplyDeleteWhat a family treasure. And what cool grandma you had, who studied fashion design in the 30's!!! I'm sure that up there somewhere your Nana is honoured by the mini portfolios you made.
ReplyDeleteoh wow Amy. That is awesome. What a wonderful thing to have in the family!! She was a very talented woman (the apple doesn't fall far from the tree). This is great to see. Thanks for sharing this. And the textile pattern... yes, gorgeous.. get it printed!
ReplyDeletexo,
dana
to see that your grandmother was creating in the 1930s, when the environment was nowhere nearly as supportive of women as it is now, is so incredible, so inspiring! and it is awesome to see how the times and culture influenced her artwork. WOW!
ReplyDeleteThe small books with your grandmother's art and a wonderful idea, and custom fabric designed by your grandmother would be another great way to have her art come out of the closet. We spend so much time trying to create new things, but there's also so much to rediscover from our past!
ReplyDeleteVery inspiring and beautiful! What a heritage! Generations of talent! I'd love to see the sailor pattern as a textile!
ReplyDeleteWow that pis spectacular.
ReplyDeleteI just got so emotional....
Your grandma's work was so beautiful, it's clear where you get your talents from. Wow, to find these treasures. A great inspiration to not throw some things away and so good of you to treasure her work with such passion.
My suggestion would be to photograph some of her work in hi-res and print a blown-up version on canvas. Turn it into an art print ;)
As a reply to my post:
We just whipped up the pancakes this morning and I made a homemade jam (1 part orange jam, 1 part pumpkin puree! AWESOME!
I will post tomorrow ;)
I meant 'is' obviously ;D
ReplyDeleteCheers!
This is so awesome!
ReplyDeleteAnd my goodness, yes you have to order some of that design as fabric.
What an incredible treasure you have here Amy.
this is so amazing amy!
ReplyDeletei lovelove the last print! how incredible would that be for fabric!!! oh, you have to do it!
Dearest sweet amy, this is sooo awesome and so inspiring!! I am loving that sailor pattern and having it made into fabric is a wonderful idea!!! So excited. :) Have a lovely merry happy day and love to you!
ReplyDeleteThis is so beautiful. How wonderful to have such a treasure to keep. I think you definitely have to order some fabric with that design.
ReplyDeleteThat's really impressive work--so special that you have it! I love the idea of scanning the images and putting together a book. It's such a wonderful way to memorialize her, share her work and keep it accessible. My husband's grandmother who just passed away was a remarkable craftsperson, and now I'm wondering if it might be a good idea to photograph her surviving pieces and put the images together like that. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteoh my goodness I couldn't imagine finding anything so wonderful! She has extremely talented - I LOVE her style and that sailor print - oh. my. goodness - get it printed on material!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou have to at least 'try' - ;)
What treasure! and I love your idea for preserving it for your family....books made with the talent of two artists! That sailor print is awesome, would love to see how you go with spoonflower - I am experimenting over there too at the moment and having a lot of fun. Have a good weekend Em xx
ReplyDeleteAmazing! You are part of a talented family! I have inherited many of my grandmother's crafts and sewing things and I treasure them.
ReplyDeleteOh my, what a beautiful family treasure. How special.
ReplyDeleteNicola