A few weeks ago, I was reading one of my many photography magazines that I have stacking up next to my coffee chair. (The pile is finally getting smaller, and I know my husband is glad). I wish I could remember the photographer's name or what magazine I read it in, but there was an article about a photographer who took a "portrait" of a family member without the actual person in the shot. They used objects that belonged to this person that reminded the photographer of them and personified them by their personal belongings. I LOVED this idea and knew that I wanted to do that someday, but feared it would just sit on my list of things I will do "someday."
Then steps in my dear friend from college, Ellen, who gave me my topic for this week's challenge. Family History. Perfect! I knew exactly what I wanted to do.
So, this week's image is a portrait of my Paternal Grandmother, Mary Patt, who we affectionately called "Schoolmama" (she worked at the school). Although my grandmother died when I was only 7 years old, I have fond memories of her and have always felt close to her, even since her passing. We were living in Wisconsin when she died, and soon after moved back to Ohio to be near family again. We lived right around the corner from where she and my grandfather lived. Poppa lived in that house for many years after she died and I loved going over there and spending time in her room and wished she could have been there, too.
When Poppa finally did move out of that house, I inherited my Grandmother's bedroom set, which I always loved growing up. It was a sweet moment when I moved her dresser into my daughter's room a few months ago. As all of us grandkids know, this dresser was special because of the glass top and all the pictures and funeral prayer cards that she kept under it. (I still have some of the originals packed in a box somewhere, and when I find them, i will re-do this image).
So, here you have...
- The dresser, with a funeral card from my Uncle Tony and a photograph of my Poppa and I.
- An Anointing of the Sick Cross that belonged to my grandmother
- A Mary Statue that my Grandmother gave me when I was little, and it was always in my room. This statue is now in the boys room.
- Her glow in the dark Rosary that always hung on her bedpost and I carried on our wedding day
- A purse made out of her wedding dress (thank you to my mother-in-law) that I also used on our wedding day
- Her prayer book that my cousin Stephen gave to me
- Her watch that my Uncle Richard gave to me
- A small Mary Medal that someone found and gave to me, (It might have also been my Uncle Richard)
1 comment:
...and a reflection of you in the glass top?
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