Random Thoughts: My Mother’s Things/Photography/Light
I’m thinking about (and we all know there are SO MANY things I THINK about but never DO, so…) a photo series of “things that were my mother’s.” This photo by Holly Farell (do you guys know Holly Farell? She does the LOVELIEST paintings of just normal, everyday things that we tend to overlook and she makes them so charming) inspired me to do a photo series of the 1950s Japanese bowls that my mother brought back from Japan after their time living there while my father was in the Navy.
And then I started thinking of the other things I have that were hers…a vase, a Japanese porcelain bowl, a frothy 1950s tulle cocktail dress, a red velvet dress and cloak outfit, the gilded bamboo mirror, rhinestone jewelry…the list goes on, but…these are things that I have carried around with me for 30 years from house to house, apartment to apartment, and they always hold a special place in my heart and my home.
But they do get hidden away from view. The dresses. While I can picture them in my mind’s eye, they’re actually buried in a plastic tub somewhere and I rarely see them in real life. The delicate lotus bowl is hidden on a crowded storage shelf behind a stack of boxes. So I thought how nice it would be to create a series of lovely portraits of some of my favorite items to frame and hang on the wall (or lean, cuz one of the anxieties of apartment life is not getting your security deposit back when you move out because you’ve put holes in the walls) to enjoy all the time.
And yes, I mean “portraits,” even though these are objects, not people. Because to me, they all have personalities and they have kept me company and given me pleasure throughout the years, just as a beloved friend or family member or pet would do.
But…thinking about it is the easy part. Of course. I’m picturing minimal, clean white backgrounds and lovely soft light and shadows in thin black frames. But light in photography is my nemesis. It’s like THE most important thing. And yet anytime I have gotten lovely light in a photo it has felt like a happy accident, not something *I* orchestrated. I’ve studied light, read about it, took workshops and classes, practiced with artificial light, and…sigh. So that will really be a challenge for me. Especially in this particular apartment with The Worst Natural Light Ever.
I shouldn’t say that. I’ve seen plenty of basement apartments with no windows, or windows facing brick walls, etc. But for me, light is something I SO treasure. That to not have it just seems cruel. I can literally sit on the sofa for 30 minutes, just watching the afternoon light create a slice of golden window pane shadows on the floor…up onto the wall…then onto the ceiling…as the sun drops lower in the sky. No sound, no words, just…watching the changing of the light.
Sometimes when I say “I’m so busy,” it’s because of things like that. I’m not doing “nothing.” I’m busy watching the light move around my apartment. I’m so appreciative to have that little momentary gift in my day. I want to give it my full attention.
Anyway. Yeah. So. I’m going to be taking pictures of bowls now 🙂
Susan Sommer
Growing up, I remember your house had what I know now are Japanese artifacts. Then, I just thought you had an exotic Mom.
bettyewp
Ohmygosh Suzy, you just made me laughcry so hard!!! I love you and love that you thought I had an exotic mom! I just thought I had a crazy one!
Everybody, Suzy is my oldest friend from when we were 5 years old and living in Newark, Delaware. Even though my parents cruelly took me away from her at age 9, we’ve stayed in touch all our lives with letters, visits, and now, the Internet. I feel a blog post coming on, haha!
xoxoxoxo
Melissa
Oh, I loved this post and encourage you to further explore your photography skills! You’re such a natural at it. I will look forward to you sharing all the pictures of all the things!
PS- I survived my move despite it being delayed somewhat. I’ve decided I’m never moving again! The day before our move, a deer ran into my moving car and I’m so sad I wrecked my NEW car! I’m fine but my car is still in the shop… Ugh. I’m ready for 2021! /rant 😊
bettyewp
Yay for Move Survival! I know how exhausting it is…and how long it takes to really feel SETTLED in a new place.
Ooh, sorry about your car…and the deer??
Melissa
The deer simply ran away!! Admittedly, I was relieved it wasn’t badly injured despite my new car practically turning into a crushed soda can. They’re not made like they used to be, that’s for sure! 🙃
bettyewp
Wow – car crushing deer 🙁 And no one in the car was injured??
Melissa
It was a HUGE deer! I guess that’s why it was able to run off afterward? No one was injured, thankfully.
It was just one of those moments where someone was looking out for me because it could have been much worse. I’m now super paranoid driving at dusk!! It was an awful experience but all is well that ends well. My car (the only casualty) will be out of the shop after Thanksgiving.
Thanks for asking. 😊
jodie filogomo
I love that your dearest and oldest friend remembers those artifacts. And just the fact that you can appreciate light so much gives such good reasoning of how you are an amazing photographer.
XOOX
Jodie
bettyewp
It’s so funny to me that y’all are referring to them as “artifacts,” cuz to me it was just “Mommy’s kooky Japanese stuff.” Ha. At the time, I mean. I didn’t actually develop an appreciation for it til much later. And now there are so many things I wish I’d kept. There was just SO MUCH at the time that we were cleaning out her house to sell…and I lived in a very small house at the time and there just wasn’t room for all of it there. And I did make a crapton of money years later selling a lot of her things on ebay – when I was first separated and needed cash it was good to have a steady supply of desirable items to sell. And now I have precious few things left…sigh. I have to let og of any regrets though, we can’t carry EVERYTHING with us all our lives – not stuff OR regrets.
Karen
You’re right about regrets, Bettye. You have your memories of your exotic mom and enough of her things to treasure, photograph and retain in the family archives. My husband retrieved his dad’s WW2 army uniform jacket from the bottom of a bin yesterday and we decided to have it drycleaned and pressed and we’ll put it in a place where he sees it. Or, maybe we’ll have it photographed to lean against a wall. ?? Treasures from the past are true treasures and having only a few makes them even better. I look forward to seeing your perfectly lit photographs of yours.
xo karen
bettyewp
Ooh, what a wonderful piece of your father-in-law’s life for your husband to have; a physical reminder of his patriotism to our country 🙂
In other apartments I have had a spot where I’ll just hang a piece of clothing on the wall on a hanger – a pink velvety 1950s prom dress, a diaphanous 60s nightgown, a 1930s girls white cotton dress, a sheer coral bedjacket of my grandmother’s, a 1950s Japanese kimono (wow I’ve got a lot of old crap, don’t I) – nothing fancy, just a hanger on a hook on a wall or door in the bedroom. This space feels so chaotic with all the BOXES and PILES and weirdly-spaced beam-y things on the wall and pipes on the ceiling…hanging MORE things on the wall just…I can’t figure out how to do it, really. So nothing “pretty” is hung up here. But I’ve enjoyed doing it in other places. And it sounds like a nice idea for the army uniform jacket.
Iris
Oh, I love the idea of pictures of items. I don’t have many items that aren’t already displayed one way or the other, and I don’t have much wall space, but I’m going to think about that idea.
Grace & Peace, Iris
http://www.IrisOriginalsRamblings.com
Leslie Susan Clingan
Oh, Bettye, I hope you will make this project a reality. I shouldn’t say ‘project’ because that sounds like a chore. This activity!! This dream!! We bought some really light, floating metal frames with plexiglass that can be hung with temporary adhesive hooks. https://www.amazon.com/Golden-State-Art-Eight-Black/dp/B07G2P1DQ3/ref=sr_1_17?dchild=1&keywords=plexiglass%2Bfloating%2Bframes&qid=1606068302&sr=8-17&th=1 You could still have your gallery of lovely photos without putting holes in the wall. Or have a gallery suspended from a line. I bought something similar for my granddaughter’s art.
https://www.amazon.com/Mkono-Hanging-Display-Garland-Decoration/dp/B07WNNNVH8/ref=sr_1_11?dchild=1&keywords=art+display+line&qid=1606068441&sr=8-11
You have such a great eye. And those photos and the light in them makes you happy. Hope you will display your art!!
bettyewp
Thanks so much, Leslie. I’ll save your links for
ifwhen I eventually do this project 🙂