Useful Art
Sunday, October 11, 2020
Dear Marion,
Clarity. I could use some clarity at this moment in time. Sometimes I am amazed how cleaning out my garden, my closet, or rearranging a space left unorganized or chaotic can clear my mind and ready me for a new project or mindset. Living by the ocean has its own set of rules when it comes to glassware and silver as it seems to quickly get cloudy or foggy. You know how much I dislike cleaning of any kind but sometimes I admit I do feel a moment of satisfaction when I clean the glass door cabinets and their contents above our island in the kitchen. The beautiful hand blown glasses shine and sparkle as they should and I remember how much I loved them from the first moment they caught my eye many years ago. They add to the collective experience of our home as you can see their pops of color through to the living room from the moment you open the front door adding a warmth to the space.
My first love of art was the simple beauty of hand blown glass. I was mesmerized by the art of glass and the effort, strength, and of course creativity it takes to produce the final pieces. My junior year in high school we drove to Rhode Island School of Design to take a tour and soak up the surrounding campus and all that it has to offer. On that tour, two studios stood out in my mind and left a lasting impression. The studio filled with floor looms for weaving was like no other I had ever seen in person or on screen...the looms felt like too many to count. The other was the glass blowing studio which was too impressive for me to even try to put into words. I could not believe that I could possibly go to a college that had so much to offer and a bonus- Dale Chihuly (world renowned glass designer) was connected to this department and school. His beautiful sculptures are housed in some of the most amazing hotels, public spaces, museums, and galleries around the globe. I cannot stress what an interesting, creative, and unique artist Dale Chihuly is and how fascinating he and his work are to experience either through books, internet, or certainly in person.
I floated on the return trip home dreaming of attending this magical school that I had originally dreaded touring on the drive up from home mere hours earlier. At that point in time I had my heart set on a large university atmosphere and RISD’s freshman class was smaller than my high school junior class. My thought was I would spend my life and career in NYC, so I wanted to experience education in a different setting. There is nothing more life affirming than actual in person experience to redirect your mindset.
Fast forward to post college graduation and the many visits back to Providence for RISD reunions. I, like many others, enjoyed the Student/Alumni Art and Design Sales and occasionally helped a friend sell her wares creating more special memories. Throughout these trips, I started collecting my glasses that I had longed for during my student days. We still make a point to choose which of these glasses we want to use whenever we are creating a special moment. Each piece is unique and handmade thus creating a ‘useful art’ experience.
My family, some of us more than others, as you know is not the most careful to say the least. That being said, I used to buy other(slightly less expensive) hand blown glasses for everyday use that we were less careful with and seemed to have more frequent glass casualties. At some point, maybe 10 years ago, I took stock and figured out there had been over the course of 15 years approximately 90 + glasses that had found themselves in pieces on the floor. From that point on, I put to use my fascination with clear and green mason jars. They are almost indestructible and I find them very pretty and enjoyable to drink from regardless of the type of beverage. They are welcome in the dishwasher and claim a home in the covered cabinets sans glass fronts. I like to serve a variety of drinks such as your Coffee Pot Hot Mulled Cider. Using these glasses, with crushed ice, I would enjoy the iced version of mulled cider. These glasses are also a welcomed vessel for small bundles of flowers.
When we were little you would create magical moments including tea parties. I would carefully take out the special China-coffee or tea cups with their matching coaster and place them on the dining room table. At our youngest, we used the ones that were a smaller size for our tiny hands. The mere act of sitting at the dining room table instead of the kitchen table made us sit taller, behave more carefully and attentive to conversation. In the middle of the table you would place some special treat that you had made for us and next to it would be a silver tray with a creamer and a sugar vessel. This was the magic for me… the sugar was sugar cubes and there was a silver tong that worked like a claw. This utensil could select an individual cube to put into our tea or coffee which was more like milk and sugar. In my first memories, it took two hands to maneuver the tong and grip the cube. These moments started so young that I remember having a hard time reaching the tray. As a young adult, I watched you repeat this experience with your first grandchildren and I remember thinking what a gift this moment was for all of us.
One of my favorite things you shared from your mom was to use things and enjoy them with your family, friends, or by yourself. Of course, we should be careful but don’t let things be too precious to enjoy. Set your table, casual or fancy, make it beautiful, but most important enjoy it...all of it “in” the moment.
Talk soon,
Forever Yours
Quote
“Never let a good crisis go to waist.”
Winston Churchill
Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
1874-1965