read between lines

Orphans, Consistency, and Evolving Work ~ Well, I just kept photographing, and see that I had some older pieces from a few years back that I was unconsciously retiring. These small teddies were made from Depression Era feedsack cloth, all handstitched because they are too small for machine stitching, and made from my own pattern with button joints for head, neck, arms and legs. They were only 4 inches high standing up, but once I migrated over to found object assemblage, they became orphans of a sort. Now, with everything photgraphed, I see that they really don't seem so out of sync with the newer things. Each one seems to have an individuality, and being so small, with a legacy from the Depression Era (I know people who wore dresses made of that cloth), there is a nice reminder that people find a way to enjoy themselves and have a little beauty in their lives, always, and especially in hard times. Interested in really putting the present days into a more right-sized perspective? Try reading The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan, and then see if you can still moan about your 401(k)!