Leslie Under the Hat

Found photos. I love using them.

I discovered the photo I used in this piece at an antique shop in Old Town Orange. I looked through an old box filled with photos-- and this one caught my eye so I bought it for a few dollars and have had it in my desk drawer for about 6 months, waiting for the perfect project to add it to. On top of the little girl being SO precious, the writing on the back just killed me: "Leslie under the hat"-- in perfect Grandma handwriting.

In one of my art classes we had to find a space on campus and go to it every day for 2 weeks. We could do whatever we wanted, and I decided to make this piece while I was there. I have a newfound love for embroidery thread, the color orange, and tea. The dried flower on the bottom is actually a tea flower that my friend Blythe gave me for my birthday. It was one of the most exciting cups of tea I've ever experienced-- watching that thing expand and float in the cup. (I drank the tea for one of the days sitting in my space too). The wire is a vent that I found at Home Depot for a dollar.
As I made the piece, winding thread for hours through the wire vent, I began to develop words for why I liked the photo so much. A small fragile girl, SMILING WITH ALL HER MIGHT! on this barren ground with a hat too big and her smile under a shadow.






Here's the thing. Each day brings new freedom as I learn to let go of myself, let go of the smile, and sit in an empty stairwell so I can learn about who I'm actually sitting with.