Spare time led dirty grimy, filings under the nails, fingers to create. It was a need. An outlet. Something separate from his day job. For himself. For his own delight. His cleverness. Turning scraps into little things. Not always useful. But intriguing.

A full set. Dining table, chairs, bowls, plate, cups, mugs, forks, knives, spoons. And rocking chairs. Rocking chairs for little fingers to push. Eyes opening in wonder and excitement. A smile widening as his chuckles grow into a laugh in your ear and you can smell his sent of grime and sulfur from decades of welding.

My grandfather was a man who could create anything that he needed or wanted. From adding a second floor to his home for his expanding family to tiny delicate metal working. He wasn’t the most pleasant person to be around for his own kids, but his grand kids got the gentleness that a life time of experience had given him. I can still see his beaten up fingers in my mind, and every time I smell the scent of a flint striker I think of him. And smile.

When my grand parents passed away my mom claimed this set, and as I was growing up it was displayed in our entertainment center. I’m not one for holding onto things. I don’t think well when there’s too much clutter.

When my birthday started to roll around I armed my mom with a small list of things that had caught my fancy. It wasn’t until I was setting up my office shelves that I realized that I really wanted some reminders of what had made me love art in the first place. Some items to remind me of where I come from, the long trail of artists on both sides of my family. These came to mind immediately. So when she called, I asked for a rocking chair for myself and a dining chair for my in laws who also enjoy American Arts & Crafts as well as just farting around in a flint striker scented work shed. The item that she had picked from the list was a joy to unwrap, and hold, but it was the chairs that sent hot tears to my eyes.

It’s where I’m from.
To show me where I’m going.
It’s in my veins.
In my fingers.

-Danielle

: I’ve been finding it hard to blog lately, since I felt bereft of inspiration, but I’ve found it again. So maybe it’ll be easier now.