remember

I created my first altered canvas using a picture of me and my grandmother taken on my first birthday, at Easter, 1972. The piece of jewelry on the bottom of the canvas is a pin that my grandfather made for my grandmother out of the earrings she wore on her wedding day. Its one of the only things I have of my grandmothers - its too special and fragile to wear, so I made this canvas so that I could have it out where I could see it everyday.

My grandmother never liked having her picture taken, and so this is one of the only pictures I have with the two of us - Some I lost in the flood during Hurricane Floyd so this is really one of only handful of pcitures I have of her at all. . I find myself hiding my face in pictures with my son, or always being the one behind the camera in order to avoid being photographed. This picture, besides being precious to me, is a reminder that in years to come, my children and grandchildren will (hopefully) consider photos of their family precious as well, and won't know that I thought I looked fat that day, or hated my smile - they'll just know that they have only a handful of pictures. So, I try remember this photograph, and remind myself to smile and be present in the moment when someone wants to take a picture - its not about perfection, because honestly, who can achieve that anyway? Its about memories and love and family.