Little Things
Little Things…
Recently my friend brought me two boxes of little things from her studio. Lisa Mei Ling Fong is a renowned assemblage artist, a lover of curious trinkets, a transformer of the mundane into the beautiful. It was overflow from her stock and she knew that I too have a love of odd little bits and pieces that speak of worlds waiting to be created. Butterfly cocoons in Tupperware, hinges from furniture run amuck, a fishing reel whose catch was long abandoned. I spent hours sorting through the possibilities each tiny object possessed, a little glow of joy growing in my heart with each discovery. What final metamorphoses would a broken butterfly wing endure? You will soon find out!
About a week later we brought a new artist’s work into the store. Nancy Nelson came to us with her latest creations, glass vials filled with little things found in nature. Each glass container is carefully aligned to create a collection of elemental artifacts. Vibrant plumage ignites visions of exotic birds in flight, tiny shark teeth transports one to deep waters; each combination a reminder of the beauty in the world. As we spoke about her inspiration, I could feel an instant kinship with both her and her art. Her eyes sparkled with delight as she explained the lovely contents of her creations. She too is a lover of little things. As I priced and hung her work, I couldn’t help but smile with contagious glee as another local artist, Marge Manwaring, came to mind.
A poetess is in her art bound by little things; words condensed in elegance to convey the most expansive subjects the universe holds true. In her collection of poems “What to Make of a Diminished Thing”, Marge crafts a microcosm of emotion on the page. Each word perfectly placed to stir feelings immeasurably. I am honored to have her books in the store as well this month; each comes with a handmade bookmark lovingly adorned with a little gumball machine charm.
As all these little things made their way into the shop, it seemed that February was destined to be an ode to the diminutive! The more I thought on it, the more perfect it all seemed for the smallest month. Also how lovely to give the gift of the world in a bottle or a beautifully bound book of poems to a Valentine! A little thing can speak volumes to the heart. It also speaks to the creator of those seemingly small relics. It tells them that the love they instill in each piece is a worthy endeavor. These little treasures are more than mere adornment; they are a love letter to the world and all things creative.
So if you are in search of the perfect little thing, do consider some of our new treasures. Wish bottles for a friend, a vial of elements for a lover, or a book of poems for the vibrant souls in your life are all waiting for you inside our tiny nest. Or a pair of earrings made with antique St. Therese medals, the patron saint of little things. Sometimes it’s the smallest things that have the most impact; a word of encouragement sends a ripple of hope into the world. A butterfly wing stirs a storm of imagination! We hope to see you soon and in the meantime, I wish you all little things filled with wonder and joy.
This entry was posted on Friday, January 31st, 2014 at 12:35 am and is filed under Musings, Shop Updates. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.