Reliquaries
Like Reliquary for a Pennie Doll, this piece is a response to someone else’s story. A dear friend sent me a handwritten note and copy of an old photo of herself as a young girl:
Wearing a yellow dress and red coat she sits on the brick porch of her family’s pink rental cottage. One tiny, gloved hand cuddles a large white rabbit close to her, while she rests her chin on the other. I tried to capture the openness of the passing winter sky, with no leaves on the trees yet, but suggesting the budding of spring color. The bunny leans to one side, like the little girl in the photo. This pays tribute to childhood clothes that no longer fit, and pets we have long outlived, and marks the bittersweet balance of memory and loss.
Special thanks to Gina Vigliarolo.