Finding your Inner Artist

I come from an artistic family.  Now this is a hard thing to deal with when you are a mere mortal.  Many in my family have great skill and its intimidating.  My grandfather made his living as an artist for many years, doing scrimshaw on slate – first at Jackson Square in the French Quarter of  New Orleans, then for years he sold his works through galleries on Maui.  I was fortunate enough to have a couple of his paintings and one of his slates in our home. His original slates were from the roofs of the French Quarter though in later years he bought slates directly from the quarries.   His brother made his living for years carving wood and painting custom pieces.  I remember a King Tut wooden piece he did that looked like the top of the sarcophagus, and another he did of a mermaid as a poolside art piece.  Even their two sisters were artistic, the oldest was painting ceramics back before it was something anyone could go do, and the youngest worked with photography for years.

Now my mom has painted, sketched, done stained glass, you name it – very creative and does beautiful work.  Her brother has also earned his living as an artist and her sister was always the one who drew all kinds of wonderful things for me as a girl.  Again, as a mere mortal – very intimidating!!  On my father’s side, when I met my half sisters, one gave me a piece of art that the middle one had done.  And also some wooden pictures that our grandfather had made – he was a carpenter I believe.  Now – I am crafty.  I can crochet, I can do most crafts, I can ‘see’ how something will go together – but Im no artist.  My husband paints – how did I surround myself with art and yet have no talent??

There is one talent I do have.  Yes, I am a shopaholic.  In my defense – I am good at it!  My friend V and I have incredible ‘shopping karma’ to the point that its scary!  Before we go shopping we brainstorm on what we are really wanting – invariably we find it, at a discounted price and more!!  She once told me she wanted a huge wicker basket to put all her crocheted blankets in – and yeah – my dear friend has a LOT of blankets – many from me!  I was skeptical – she described how big it would need to be and i just didnt think it was going to happen – or at least not a good quality piece.  Lo and behold (and how often do you get to use that phrase?) there it was!  Great piece, good construction, and at a thrift store with half off!   V has moved out of state now, but I still do well in shopping, though I miss her even more.

Another friend and I went on a tea hunt one day – tea shops are not as common as they once were – so its an excursion to drive to her favorite.  I mentioned  a  little thrift store I hadn’t been to in a while and we stopped by.  I left her in the cups and saucers as I prowled around the art area.  Something caught my eye, a grey picture toward the back.  I drew it out and found myself shaking.  This was in fact a slate, with scrimshaw etched onto it, and a signature at the bottom of a Bill Christian, who in fact was my grandfather.  Looking on the back I saw his writing with the price of $25 and knew this was one of his older works from the early seventies in New Orleans.  The holes from the roofing nails had weathered and it was just incredible to hold this link from my own past.  I remember spending time in the summer with him at the quarter when I was just a little girl.  Feeding the pigeons in front of the cathedral and my favorite shop where they made handmade dolls – a very big deal to an eight year old girl!  Mom bought me an Amy doll from Little Women and I still have it somewhere.

So of course, I bought the slate.  It was half price – told you I was good – cost me all of $6 and I was almost in tears with memories as I bought it.   My grandfather has been gone for about six years now and I have many memories of him.  An artist is defined as  one such as a painter, sculptor, or writer, who is able by virtue of imagination and talent or skill to create works of aesthetic value, especially in the fine arts.  A person whose work shows exceptional creative ability or skill.  Or  one who is adept at an activity.  If you consider that shopping can be a talent then perhaps shopping is my art.  I would like to believe that I am an artist.  Makes me feel closer to the whole family.

~ by Kim on August 1, 2011.