WYSIWYG

What You See Is What You Get. This is a journal blog, an explore-blog, a bit of this and that blog. Sharing where the mood takes me. Perhaps it will take you too.

Menonkery; Mischief Memory

The siblings, while clearing out the attic at our deceased father's home, came across a large cardboard folder. It bore my name upon it, so they brought it over to Hutch for me to reacquaint myself. 

That was nine months ago. It sat behind the lounge door, against the settee, all this while. Recently it has kept falling over and presenting a trip/fall risk to yours truly. A few cussings later, I decided it was time to open the thing up. This I did on Monday, just gone. There was a mixture of surprise and complete befuddlement. Several items clearly clipped from magazines or posters or calendars - scenes that had appeal, even now. But they will go to the recycling, holding no worth to me and not serving by triggering any particular association from their presence.

Then there are a dozen 'artworks' from my youth. We are talking the late seventies and early eighties of last century here! Seven of them had been prepared for sale. They have been well-mounted and have stickers on the back... adhered hanging rings,  "Aligraph" a branding that I once used, and the pricing I gave them, which was between four and six quid. It is vague, but I believe I twice paid for a stall at a couple of summer fayres around Edinburgh. I had made a lot of greetings cards also and, if I am not deluding myself, they pretty much sold out. I think even a few of these larger works went too. I am pretty sure the sales did not cover the cost of the stall rent, though. This would be why there are these remnants and no others were produced. 

I photographed them all and returned them to the folder. One or two, no, make that three, are cringe-worthy. Like this one on the right. What was I thinking??!!! There are a couple I will not share, but the rest will make an appearance here, as and when...

There were a few photographic items as well. Two or three of my own, enlarged. Only on standard paper and computer printed, so no great shakes - recycling for them, too. Two of the photos were from my time as a member of the Roddy McDowell Fan Club of the UK. One was, as might be expected, RM - but the other, a tad inexplicably, is of George Chakiris (who was also one of my faves... but why???) They are actual photographic prints and have notes on the back, so they too are returned to the folder.

One photo, though, completely defies explanation for its presence. I mean to say, I know it is me, and I know when and where it was taken; but there is absolutely no memory as to why I would have a print of it, let alone one on A2 photographic stock!!! I would never enlarge a photo of myself. Indeed, if you have been around here long enough, you know I tend, on the whole, to avoid any direct selfies at all. To say I was a little aghast when it revealed itself from behind the larger of the artworks would not be overstating it. I might actually have spoken HBO. The thing is, along with a few of the clippings and such, I don't actually recall the folder at all. There was one item that had me thinking this was all held together due to my late mother's inclination to preserve all things family, but also because they appealed to her. It would make sense of some of the clippings - but could she have had this image enlarged? Might father have done it? I have returned it to the folder, for now, as am at a loss of what to do with it. If I dispose of it to recycling, I will definitely have to shred it first!

Okay - now I've piqued your interest, return tomorrow, for I will use this disturbing image for my FFF this month!!!

15 comments:

  1. I wish I did more art when I was young.
    Coffee is on and stay safe

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great catalyst for a stroll down memory lane.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mothers are guilty of preserving all manner things about you that were unimportant to you. Fortunately for me my family moved home just after i left home at 16. There was a vicious and determined clear out of things stored and that took care of stored 'stuff'. xxx F

    ReplyDelete
  4. This gives me an idea for the Feb challenge of Blogchatter. Maybe I'll pull out some pics my albums and stir up memories.

    ReplyDelete
  5. my mom kept my "art work" from school... we had a lot of funny moments and I realized that I was a kind of weird kid LOL

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a fascinating find. I look forward to seeing more, both artwork and photos!
    Cheers, Gail.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Nostalgic... Good to go back in time... Not able to remember the context of a photo is something I too have experienced.

    ReplyDelete
  8. first let me say that if anyone brought the folder to me, it would have been opened before they left the house. i have a huge curosity bump and could not wonder what was in it for this long. I even open amazon as soon as it hits the door and i know what is in it... can't wait to see the younger you and i think the painting today shows your talent. odd you don't remember the folder. my mother saved everything, so thinking your mum saved it might be true... see you on FFF

    ReplyDelete
  9. YAM I'm ready for FFF. OMCs/Ds your tease has me on the edge of my seat biting my nails.
    What fun to anticipate
    Hugs cecilia

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a lovely painting! You never know what the peeps are going to save.

    ReplyDelete
  11. It's funny what things can be found when cleaning out a parent's home. I too had some of those types of things when my mom moved out of her house of 50 years.

    ReplyDelete
  12. What a wonderful collection of memories that must have been to open! I'm looking forward to seeing what tomorrow's FFF holds!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh, the memories. namaste, janice xx
    PS, glad you did not fall

    ReplyDelete
  14. I used to have an 'open' diary that I asked everybody to write in. I had it for about a year and a half and then got rid of it. I am still sorry I did. And I know my Mum did not keep it, as she was also very sorry I threw it out!

    Klem

    ReplyDelete

Inquiry and debate are encouraged.
Be grown-ups, please, and play nice.
🙏