Title: Under Her Wing
Artist: Jasmine Winkler Stobbe
Medium: Mixed media
How does this artwork represent healthy human aging? (Artwork Description)
A major turning point for me was the death of my maternal grandmother, Pearl. She and I always had a special relationship. She had an amazing, endless closet with plenty of animal print scarves for me to play dress-up with. I remember the red lipstick that she constantly applied. I think she knew I was always watching her, and she reciprocated by taking me under her wing. One of the first lessons she taught me was how to use a public toilet without touching the seat. She gave me a packet of soap leaves as a “graduation” present, because “you never know what public bathrooms may not have soap in them.” Her favorite activity was to go bargain hunting. We’d head off to our favorites, “Honey’s” and “Gabby’s,” and spend hours rummaging through giant bins filled with all sorts of clothes in all sorts of conditions. Occasionally, there was a big find, beautiful and unique. But mostly she prized scraps of fabric, strings, and ribbons. So, what did we do with all this trash? We made things. We would braid the ribbon ends together to create art of beautiful colors and patterns. I still “listen” to her advice and follow her mantras. And you’ll never catch me without a bar of soap.
Submission Category: Public