Monday, December 04, 2006

Great Aunt Claudia- Faux Family Album

This is my entry into the colloborative project I started called Faux Family Album. I asked some of my most favorite artists to participate, and lo and behold there are about 20 of us! I sent each participant a vintage picture of an unknown person from my very large collection, along with the black page from a vintage photo album. I asked each person to use the picture to create an album page and write a story to go along with it. We are nearing the end of the project, and I will be copying each page so each artist will have a complete copy of the project! Below is the "story" of my "Great Aunt Claudia."

When my Great Aunt Claudia was 4-years old her Mother took her to have her picture professionally done. One of the props the photographer used was a basked of flowers that Aunt Claudia wore on her back. She later told me that she always remembered how happy she was that day because of the beauty of the flowers. Her family was not poor, but they certainly could not afford fresh cut flowers in their home. As she was growing up she always dreamt of running a flower shop. She traced the idea back to having her picture taken with the flowers when she was 4.

It did not seem that she would ever have a flower shop though because she went to college and studied Art History. She was going to become a teacher. As part of her courses she was able to go to Paris for a semester abroad. She was going to study the paintings at the Louvre. As fate would have it she met a handsome young man named Paul. (Can you believe they met right near the Mona Lisa?? It’s true!). They had a fairy tale romance and married soon after they met. Paul was very supportive of Aunt Claudia’s dreams and they arranged to open a flower shop in the Latin Quarter. They named the shop Les Charmettes.

The shop gave them so much joy. Aunt Claudia’s favorite thing to do was to go the nearby hospital and bring all kinds of beautiful flowers for the patients and nurses. She was really able to make a difference with her flowers as people just loved the way she arranged them. She always said to me that it was the small things in life that help urge us on to tackle the big problems in life. From a few flowers grew many good deeds..........

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love your page! I like the pink in the background as it makes the photos float out.I like the love connectio in Paris. And the visiting of those ailing to present them with flowers...how very Princess Diana. It is brilliance!

beth said...

Hey...I was wondering if you finished your page and I love it !!!! You really need to get into writing along with your art...you have talent !!!!

Anonymous said...

You are so amazing! I am in awe of the beauty of your work. And I LOVE your story. You are very talented!!!
Awesome job.

One Crabapple said...

ohhh that is a WONDERFUL story !

Very nicely told Ms. Maude !

Les Charmettes sounds completely enchanting as was her life !

She was on the right path all along!

This is a sweet collage. I love all of those swirls and curls! Talented collage artist as well as a talented writer .

It is a very bright page in your book. I cannot wait to see more.

Now where is that Bride Picture you were going to do ???

Love, S.

dogfaeriex5 said...

vey nice!! love it..i am so excited to see the whole completed project and i know it will be picked for one of the somerset mags..how can it not! we have a crazy mixed up family tree that everyone wants to be a part of!!
see you soon!
xoxox~k

Jean said...

What a beautiful story and page.

Babsarella said...

What a TERRIFIC page!!! So pretty and such an interesting story. Can't wait to get my pages!!! Thanks for organizing such a great project!!!-

carlene federer said...

So our hostess finished her piece, awesome! LOVE those images, and is the background made with a stamp? Can't wait to see what you do with the FFR book!