Page for a Collaborative Calendar

Allright, get ready....this is going to be a long explanation. First of all I'll tell you that this is a page I did for a collaborative 2007 Calendar. My month was January, which I asked for specifically. Second, this is the most emotional and personal piece that I have ever created. I've been wanting to find those things in my art and I think is helping me to get there. Allright, about the art...and why it is completely personal to me.

This page is about, and dedicated to, my dad, who I called Poppie. The color of this is the color blue that he loved the very most. He wore Ben Davis shirts (the monkey shirts as I always called them) and I teased him that he kept his picture on his pocket. However, he always insisted that it wasn't a picture, but rather a mirror! Anyhow...several of his shirts were in this color. I painted the blue over a dictionary page that I found with the word "Begonia" on it. This word can be found in the very bottom right of the work. It is faint, but more noticeable in person. He was the 2nd generation of Begonia Growers in Santa Cruz and the owner of Antonelli Brother's Begonia Gardens for many, many years after his father retired. All told, he worked there for aproximately 44 years! To say tuberous begonias were a big passion of his, is an understatement!

The little white house reminds me of the house he lived in on the nursery property. I believe my brother lived in that house with his family later on, too. All of our little feet ran around on that property at one time or the other! The baby in the image is my Poppie himself! Isn't he the most adorable thing EVER?! I love this picture! The man holding him, is of course, his father, my Papa (Grandpa). The year it was taken was 1943. Now, the reason I used him for January, and asked for this particular month, was becasue he was born on January 7, 1943. Sadly, he passed away of lung cancer in the same month, 2 days before his 60th birthday (January 5th, 2003). So this month is very bittersweet for me...and I still have the birthday card I bought for him on his 60th...I never did get to give it to him. But I think he knew how I felt...See, I told you this was a deeply personal and emotional piece!

The flower is not a begonia, but represents his life among the flowers in the nursery. (By the way, this image is from Bmuse if you are interested). The words "Early Blooms" is taken from a book by Mr. Veterle about tuberous begonias. This is appropriate, as the Antonelli Brothers (1st generation) worked at Veterle (forgive me if the spelling is wrong!) Brother's nursery in the early days and where they learned their knowledge of begoinas! They took this knowledge and opened up their own nursery in 1935. These words have several meanings for me. First, being a New Year baby, he was an "early bloomer". Second, early begonia blooms in the nursery were a good thing as it meant the year was temperate and folks would want to buy things sooner. Lastly, the early bloom refers to his much shortened life. 59 is much too soon to pass from this earth, in my opinion! I wish I had gotten to keep him for just a little bit longer....

The snowflakes are described below and are mostly asthetic, as it doesn't snow in Santa Cruz. Although, it did a couple of times and was a real event for all of us beach bums! :) The words on the calendar page are taken from a poem and reveal the eternal optimism of my Poppie. He always saw the positive in things, people and situations! It doesn't mean that he was blind to the problems. Far from it. Only that there could be positive sides to any situation and that if you found that side, you would come out ok in the end. It reminds me that only days before he died, bald from chemotherapy and laid up in a hospital bed from a quick and furious 4 month battle with lung cancer, he said "There is still time for the miracle". And you know, even though he died, I think the miracle was with him. He kept that positive attitude to the end and never gave up hope, even when it was apparent that there was no chance he would survive. The miracle was that he lived and was an amazing and giving person. He touched everyone who knew him and years later people still recall his generosity in all aspects of his life.

Whew...emotional. Told ya! Of course, this was a really difficult project to get through! It was FULL of problems and OOPS moments, let me tell you! And honestly, I think it was Poppie sitting besides me pulling some of his practical jokes! Originally I was trying to transfer a barren tree to the piece and it absolutely did not work....even though it did work when I tried it on something else first! The darker blue spots on the page are covering up those attempts. I think...honestly, that he knew the barren tree would be too cold and depressing and didn't want it on his page. And you know, he was right. For while I am sad that he is gone, his life was about love and celebration and sweet memories. The tree would have taken those things away from his memory.

So that's it. It looks simple enough and doesn't have a lot of complicated techniques. But it is very meaningful to me. I think I am going to have it copied and framed to give to my family for Christmas with a little letter explaining what it means to me. I think they'll like to have it as a keepsake. We all miss Poppie very much....