From Granddad

I only really know my grandfathers from stories about them, mostly unhappy stories of men with short fuses, penchants for liquor and coping skills that involved the use of fists. I'm sure they must have had some good qualities they passed along to my parents but they have not been enumerated to me. They both died when I was quite young. I only have one possession that came from one of them, the pocket watch pictured here, which was actually a gift from my grandmother long after her husband had passed. But I really like the idea of having a "granddad." Someone who is older, gentle, patient and generous of spirit, someone likely to share small trinkets any boy (or girl, for that matter) might treasure. I assembled these items for the purpose of creating what might be found in my "granddad's valise."

The valise itself came from an old man in Las Vegas, a former business associate when I was in business with my brothers. He cast it off when he moved away. It bears stickers from ocean liners long gone. The skeleton key was found here in our apartment. We have many doors that once held locks requiring such a key. I haven't yet tried it in all. For the moment it remains unreconciled. Susan carved the bird, I LOVE it, she is as much an artist as I am though she doesn't recognize it in herself. The corn cob pipe is mine, I used it once or twice for fun. I like to smoke a pipe around Christmas but have a lovely wooden one Susan got me that I am most fond of for that purpose. I'm not sure where the pocket knife came from, I've had it for a long, long time.

I'm not delusional, my grandfathers faced challenges and reacted the ways they did, but my work here is not about what they did or didn't do. It's more about creating the sense of what a loving grandfather might want to share with a grandchild. Time, hobbies, skills, mysteries, adventure, habits. Any of these might do. If they couldn't give them to me, well, in this image, I can give them to myself. And to you, if you feel you need them too.

Click Here for More Information