art
Family-themed art is a look into one's living room; it depicts celebration, crises, and the quiet moments of familial interactions.
Generations of Inspiration
It is funny to think that a pair of scissors can define someone’s life and be such a poignant part of her development. In my house, a single pair of scissors represents three generations of creative, smart and driven women, all talented in a different area of the arts and all connected by one pair of sewing scissors. Our journey began when my grandmother, Esther, immigrated from Italy to New York City in 1929 with her mother. As an immigrant family, they had nothing but the shirts on their backs, a small apartment in Brooklyn and all the pots and pans they could carry. Esther’s father, Sevario, had traveled to America before his family to settle in, in hopes of becoming a chef in the land of opportunities. He practiced his art with his pots and pans and went out daily looking for jobs. Esther’s mother, Diamante, found a job sewing slip straps in a local factory to help support their growing family. Shortly after the couple had two sons, Sevario tragically passed away, leaving his wife and children behind with nothing and no one, in a foreign country.
By Emmalyn Miron5 years ago in Families
Like Father Like Daughter
Most boys as kids were excited by the idea of playing with dinosaurs or G.I. Joe figurines. Chris Gennaro, however, loved playing with his sister’s Barbie Dolls and creating new clothing statements for them. He would not only create clothes for the dolls, but he would also use scissors to cut up old shoe boxes and make furnishings for his pet rats. His passion for fashion never faltered, leading him in Middle school to approach his Youth Pastor about his sewing gift. He loved to sew and make clothes and wanted to use his gift to serve God. He was not quite satisfied with the answer he gave him, which was to make clothes for missionaries. He knew he could do more. Dad was always one to help others and he knew there was something out there for him where he could really make a difference. In college he met my mom, got married and even made her wedding dress. He majored in Graphic design to utilize the skills most closely he had curated from childhood. For his final project, he made dresses for the women in his family including his mom, wife, and sister-in-law. The dress he made for his sister-in-law was put on display and his wife and mom modeled the dresses in person that were made for them. He was working towards something big in his life.
By Olivia Gennaro5 years ago in Families
Horsey Gravitations
The picture of my grand father, decked out in cowboy gear of the 1920’s, was my only validation, for being a horse crazy girl, while pretty much everybody else in my family was not! I tell people I ‘grew up’ around horses, which was true but did not mean that I was around my grandpa or his ranch; both were gone before I was born. More accurately it meant I did what every truly horse crazy girl does, and that is gravitate to wherever you can, to be as near as you can, to anything that was remotely equine related. There was going to pony ring rides just to wish and watch. Reading every book ever written by Marguerite Henry and Walter Farley. Using hard earned allowance money to buy “Western Horseman” magazine because of the pictures; attend Pasadena Rose Bowl parade to count all the horses in it; watch livestock auctions while I sat on my hands; feeding thoroughbreds at Portland Meadows race track before going to school; trail guiding for free at a Tacoma riding stable of rental horses; making school friends who were also horse owners that promised I could ride their horse, as soon as I finished cleaning out their stall, and the most telling experience of horse crazy girls is, 'making friends' with any horse alone in a pasture and standing near the fence. My head and heart have lied in Horseland as long as I can remember.
By PEIGI Midey5 years ago in Families
Wearable Art
Since I have been a child, one of my favourite things to do was create gowns... yes the most luxurious, classic dresses I could imagine. Perhaps Disney influenced my creative spirit, but I loved to make something I felt luxurious in, even if it began with turning a bath towel into so much more! If you were to look back at my school notes, you will see dress upon dress on the pages. I did pay attention, but found I was more attentive in ways when my hands were occupied... and what occupied them was creating beautiful dresses first drawn from the back. At 10 I was creating my own magazine filled with these images, and other how-to etc sections. And yes, I was that child and teen that cut my clothes to create something a little more interesting. As you might imagine, when I learned to sew I was ecstatic! I could finally bring to life what I was creating in my mind and on paper. I must admit that my skills to translate my mental images didn't translate precisely to patterns, so I sought out help with this from a dress designer when needed. She and I worked closely and she taught me some tips and tricks, including helping me to translate my grad dress design.
By Katie . ERYT RCYT Craniosacral5 years ago in Families
Crafting a Passion for Sewing
I received my first pair of Fiskars scissors when I was 5 years old. They had a purple handle and a rounded safety tip. It took a little bit of begging to get my parents to buy me a “real” pair of scissors but all of my sisters had their own pair of sewing scissors and I finally got my own pair for Christmas in 1996.
By Jennifer Sturm5 years ago in Families
The Craft Of Crafting
Not until you become an adult do you realize how much your childhood shaped your life. I have always been drawn to art, in my younger years it was something magical about coloring, glue, glitter and scissors! As a mother I see the same light in my daughter’s eyes when a project calls for scissors. Think about the fun as a child; to cut out different construction piece shapes, to form a new unique piece or, strips to add legs/ arms to an animal but in my case a heart person for Valentine’s Day. In middle school I remember getting in trouble for constantly sketching/ doodling in class. I remember the times I did not want to draw much attention by going to the pencil sharpener. Unfortunately, I did not have a sharpener but a pair of scissors to quickly touch up my pencil. As an adult scissors are a constant part of my life, whether an assignment/ project for my child, opening boxes/packages, sharpening chalk or perfecting bows or cellophane with gift baskets, handcrafted mugs and candy bouquets.
By Charlisa Lewis5 years ago in Families
Fabric of Life
The Fabric of Life Nearly sixty years have passed, but I clearly remember the day when a coworker came into the office with a fabric work-of-art. The colorful piece, her first effort at quilting, received “oohs and ahs”. When I joined the group admiring her craftiness, my overly confident young adult reaction was, “I can certainly accomplish something like that!”.
By Linda Massa5 years ago in Families
Cousin Craft Day!
My sister and I grew up in a small town, with a very big family. Family get-togethers - and we had a lot of them – were filled with dozens of kids running around, aunts and uncles everywhere, tons of food, and loads of fun. Everyone always had the best time. It was fun growing up in such a large family – you always had someone to play with and there was always a birthday or milestone to celebrate. Because it was a small town, our cousins all attended the same schools, and were often in the same classes. Our grandmother owned the local newspaper, so all of the kids spent time working and playing in the newspaper office after school and during the summer.
By Suzanne Delaney Wilson5 years ago in Families
Bags of fun
Not every joy is self-made Sometimes a bunch of like-minded, get together to create happiness. Crafting and stitching are not just hobbies in our family. But an activity to create joy together. From a very young age, I have seen my mother sewing forks and inners for me. Her artistic sense never took off its flight as she remained a homemaker. Her aesthetic sense and design changed from one direction to another. It showed even in her creative cooking.
By Devi Vaidehi5 years ago in Families
