musthaveart

February 9th, 2016 by Jan

Our walls are covered with art work.

I will also say, the majority of art hanging on our walls have personal meaning and have been created by some of our friends.

Jerome Martinez, Marian Bantjes, Darryla McGrath, Chukki Mains, Nancy Walker, and Kim Kasiasian, are only a few of the famous artist friends whose artwork we enjoy each day. Each one of their pieces means something to us — something really special.

This brings me to a somewhat selfish thing I did this morning.

I asked for a piece of art work my niece created that is hanging in her sons bedroom.

I had a strong “I WANT” urge the minute I saw it.

It’s that weird feeling that comes over even the best of us. The “OMG I really want this thing” feeling.

Usually, I’m not that attached to things. I like nice things, still I think I can let go of just about anything we have. That being said… what Kayleen made, I REALLY WANT.

I gathered my courage and asked if I could buy it from her. She is an artist after all and if we don’t support our artist and poets, sooner or later, we will have no art or poems in the world.

Instead of giving me a price or saying no, she generously said she would gift it to me!

This is a collage of letters that Ken and I wrote to his parents over a 20 years span.

When Ken’s mom died, we found out that she had saved all our correspondence. Kayleen asked for them for a project and after re-reading all the letters, we sent them on. I thought I had let go.

But, today she showed me the masterpiece she made out of them. A patchwork of memories came flooding back, and my desire to “have it” overwhelmed me.

It is a bit embarrassing to want something so bad. Things are things. It is just that some things create other things, and memories, are to me, the best thing anyone can make.

tomiandjohnnyletters

letter2
Kayleen created a piece of art with our history. What a talent and what a generous gift!

P.S. my favourite letter is the one telling Tomi and Johnny that we could not make the payment on the loan they gave us that month, because we were going to Hawaii!

Chutzpah!

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