Industry

Growing up, it was our family tradition to decorate our tree (even go out and TRY to find one) on Christmas Eve. Advent, the four Sundays before Christmas, was a time of quiet preparation for the big day. My father, an Episcopal priest, reluctantly went along with his family's holiday need to trim and tassel, but laid down the law that it couldn't happen until the day before our Lord's birth. Then, we kept our festive plumage up until January 6th, Epiphany, or the day of the Three Kings. We lobbied and railed and begged to be like everyone else we knew who decorated on the Friday after Thanksgiving-- to no avial. And, heaven forfend we should ask about putting lights on the house and reindeer on the lawn. I shudder to think...

By the time I had children, I learned something of the joys of quiet anticipation, and so we continued that tradition of last minute decoration and celebration as our own children grew up.

Fast forward to 2015, and I find myself in retail, and an artist who creates all year long, but knows in her practical heart that the next two months are the golden time of the year for sales. Puts me rather in a spot. I wrestle with the issue every year.

This year, I wanted to make a new ornament. Since I have fallen head over heels for bookbinding, I decided to make tiny books as decorations. One hundred and twenty-five of them. Six hundred little pages to measure, cut and fold, two hundred and fifty 1 3/8 inch square covers to measure and cut and cover, two hundred and fifty three inch square cover papers to measure and cut and glue. You get the idea.

As I worked, I discovered that for me, Advent came early this year. Folding paper after paper, covering a mound of small book boards, choosing from a rainbow of ribbon colors to match my collection of decorative papers, became a very contemplative, focused, almost prayerful activity.

So, I'm ready for Christmas early this year, and I'm going to decorate trees in my studios this week to be ready for the rest of you to catch up.

For those of you who celebrate it, may you have a blessed Advent and Merry Christmas. For those of you who celebrate other holidays at this time of year, may they be meaningful, prayerful and bright.

Gerald

Gerald, on a Busman's Holiday

collage/acrylic, 6 x 6

Elizabeth W. Seaver

It seems silly for Gerald to spend his day off fishing from a rock when he supports his family diving for fish six days a week. But all week long he flies over people casting their lines into the water, pulling out fat fish. At first, they stand still for a very long time, then with no warning, go into action--sort of like watching golf or baseball. After an epic struggle, a fish emerges from the water. He loves to watch the successful warrior do his/her victory dance. 

His wife, Georgiana, knew he wanted fishing gear and had gotten it for him last Christmas. Oh, you didn't know gulls celebrated Christmas? Where did you think all those trees on the beach came from?

Present 25/30

Present, collage/acrylic, 6 x 6, Elizabeth W. Seaver
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Finally, on the third morning of shopping for it, Isadora found the perfect present for her friend Pilar for her birthday. It wasn't just an ordinary birthday present, one that would be played with a little while and then break or sit high on a shelf, forgotten. It was special. Isadora wanted it to say to Pilar what Isadora could not say out loud. She wanted the present to say thank you for hugging her when her kitty died and what fun they had when Pilar threw the surprise party for her and for the worm bisque Pilar made when Isadora got sick that time. It was hard to find a small token which expressed all those things and fit into a box, but she did! She wrapped it in paper and ribbon as beautiful as Pilar.

Crumbs were all that remained of the corn meal cake, and Pilar opened her gifts. The stack of gifts dwindled until one lovely pink box was left. Isadora sat breathlessly on her chair, hoping that when Pilar opened her gift, she would know all the warm feelings in Isadora's heart.

Pilar slowly untied the ribbon and draped it over her neck. She carefully pulled the tape off and placed the wrapping on a stack of paper to be reused throughout the year. "OH!" Pilar gasped when she finally removed the lid of the box and looked inside.

What was in the box? You tell me.

Polo Anyone? 24/30

Polo Anyone? collage/acrylic, 6 x 6

Elizabeth W. Seaver

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Even with a special mallet, how long would a bird's wings have to be to reach a ball from the back of a horse? Really long. A bicycle is the only answer. In fact, bicycle is the answer to many questions about birds if you only think about it. And I have thought about it--a lot!

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Please join us on Saturday from 10-5 at LibertyTown Arts Workshop for our Holiday Open House. Many artists will be in their studios to help you find just the right hand crafted thing for Aunt Mabel or little Sam. Perhaps a gift certificate?? Come by to shop, talk, drink apple cider and eat cookies with us on Saturday.

Pajama Day 23/30

Pajama Day, collage/acrylic, 6 x 6

Elizabeth W. Seaver

Marvin refused to wear regular clothes. They poked and pulled on his softest places, and he loved being comfortable above all things. He was a busy boy, and he didn't have time for the distraction of a pinchy waistband. Luckily, he'd been able to sneak away from the house before his mother saw him this morning and made him change his clothes. He kept to the wooded paths where he had the best chance of escaping unnoticed. Then nosy neighbors might not see him as they flew over and call his mom to tattle on him.

His favorite pair of pajamas zipped up the front. Best of all, they had the feet in them. Then, no bother of crouching down, getting red in the face while he tried to remember how to tie his tennis shoes. "Rabbit ears in the hole...pah!" He was too busy to learn that--besides if he had his way, shoes would soon be completely unnecessary. Marvin was currently designing a whole line of pajama-inspired outerwear.  He'd set aside this morning's ride to brainstorm baseball pajamas with cleats on the bottom.

"At the very least, there should be no tie shoes in the world, only slip-on ones." Marvin dreamed. "Flip-flops. I wish I could meet the person who invented flip-flops. What a genius!"

Oops! 22/30

Oops!, collage/acrylic, 6 x 6, Elizabeth W. Seaver

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There comes a time in most parties when a little too much fun flies around the place. This time, poor Rachel got in its way. No one meant for her to wear a cupcake, but it happened, and once the shock wore off, everyone sped away laughing, leaving Rachel with icing dripping down her forehead.

How do you handle such a socially embarrassing moment? Do you stomp your prehistoric dinosaur feet and flounce home in a storm of plumage? Do you laugh with everyone else and find a sink to stick your head in? Or do you act cool and nonchalantly eat the cupcake off of your own head, acting like that's what you meant to happen?

Rachel is captured on the horns of a dilemma.

On Line Chat Room 21/30

On Line Chat Room, collage/acrylic, 6 x 6

Elizabeth W. Seaver

It was the best job ever. Floyd and Fred and Erma and Amy sat every Monday morning on the Boynton's clothesline, making sure the Boyntons' Saturday night, whoop-dee-do, go-to-town, hoe-down clothes dried nicely, all ready for the following weekend. Mrs. Boynton paid them in as much birdseed as they could carry away in their plump, late summer bellies.

Now, Sunday night is the birds' whoop-dee-do, go-to-town hoe-down, so every Monday morning, there was plenty of fodder for the rumor mill. The latest was that Alfred Jay made a terrible fool of himself over Miriam Cardinal, and her a married woman. Tinker Jay let Alfred know just how far off base he was in the Peck-n-Paw parking lot. And then, Penelope Peacock looked upon the persimmon wine while it was orange, grabbing the microphone from the band. Her rendition of Feelings cleared the joint. The party continued outside. The paper-rock-scissors loser had to go back in for the next round. The owner of the Peck-n-Paw banned her from coming back for two weeks.

Yes, there was lots to talk about this morning.