Life On The Farm - Art Journal Page

Could Have Been Tacked  Inside the Barn

My family moved to a rural area of Iowa when I was in elementary school.  It felt far away from everything and very hodge-podgey to me.  Nothing seemed to 'fit' together on The Farm. As we lived there, things continued to get cobbled together, just to work until the next time they broke down. There were bits and pieces of machinery in most of the out buildings. None of them worked. It seemed like everything was ancient and dirty.  My parents decided to try their hand at raising goats (for milk) and chickens.  As my dear dad was a city boy from Newark, it was a learning experience for all of us - with a very steep curve.  So with that introduction, you are probably thinking I hated it.  I did.  At the time.  Now I look back and realize it was one of the best experiences that I could have asked for as a child.

Dusting of Snow on Everything, or Dirt, Depending on the Time of Year

 The part that I am the most thankful for is that because of that experience/experiment (we only lasted 5 years on The Farm) I have a deep appreciation for the farmers of the world.  My friends and their families worked every day of the week.  On Sundays, they would rise even earlier to complete their chores in order to make it to church on time.  They rarely went on vacation.  Weather dictated so much about how they lived.

Heavy Weight White Denim Fabric Book - The Before Picture

 The quote that I wrote on my page, from Dwight D. Eisenhower, sums up how I feel:

Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil, and you're a thousand miles from the corn field.

Brilliant!

 So this mis-matched, layer upon layer of stuff, reflects The Farm life for me.  It isn't pretty.  It isn't meant to be.  If you search through the chaos, you will see some really wonderful things, like the old fashioned tricycle and the flowers with wheels on top of them - representing those that managed to grow without anyone tending them.  I am not striving for a 'beautiful' art journal. I want mine to be authentic for me.

In addition to learning about what types of things work on fabric pages - and what are challenges - I am revisiting some long buried memories.  This journey of exploration has been helpful to me.  And it is a fun process, even if my work looks wonky!

Happy Trails!
Beverly