Easter was spent at my Mom's, and with it, all of us knowing that this could very well be the last Holiday at the house. All of us spent some time with her (Uncle Frank too!) and we kept with an Italian dinner, which brings so many shared memories as we make new ones. We are more than keeping a promise to my Dad that we would not leave my Mom alone, especially during Holidays. We are continuing to make memories no matter the changes in our little family. Jessie's boyfriend, Chris came and spent time with us also. I have always told my girls they would know when the right person had entered their lives, because they would invest in our family as well as my girls would invest in theirs. With would be much love, a bigger family and great memories as time marched on. We have enjoyed getting to know Chris and love that he feels like one of the family that he is now...and Jessie; well you can see it in her smile and the way that her eyes light up when she shares the family gatherings at the Beecher homestead. Investing, full circle.
Other investments are coming about for me. Last year, I began sharing my work in sculpting. I had been doing it on and off since I was a young girl, but it was only last year that I was able to bring it to life the way I loved...as a doll. It came about when my father wanted me to share all that I do in my art with everyone. Not just the Primitive Dolls and Patterns, to be honest, he never thought that I would go anywhere with them, but encouraged me when he saw it take off and knew how much I loved it.
Since I was a young girl, my Father saw how much I loved to draw, paint and sculpt. There was always paint, clay...and plenty of paper. He encouraged me to work at it everyday. There was always critique, many times until I thought that I would never do anything good enough for him. It seemed discouraging, but now I hear so much he told me with a mature ear. You see, he knew Grandma Moses and sat for Norman Rockwell. He knew that both of them had invested so much time doing what they loved. Grandma Moses painted a lot of paintings...she started late in life, but she put her time in. No one comes to the arts with a couple of weeks of work and commands high prices. You may be a novelty for fifteen minutes, but to sustain, you have to put your time in and invest. Musicians, dancers, actors....they will tell you the same. Investment. People will always tell you how good you are, but it is you that needs to look closer and see how you can do better and grow...learn from mistakes that you made in a piece.
