Barbara Schneider
"Lucy's Button Box"
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| (Photos by Patrick Fraser) |
This project is done in remembrance of my best friend, Lucy, who passed away in 2014. Lucy and I met on our first day of college. We came from very different backgrounds: I could go on and on. We clicked through our interest in art and design, decorating, travel, photography, beautiful fabrics, and other stuff always gave us things to talk about and to do. We liked going the flea markets especially Sandwich Antiques Market. As their website states, “Share in the Thrill of the Hunt and the Satisfaction of the Find.” And we did! Vintage buttons, buckles and beads -- Lucy made great pins and jewelry from them. We both loved imagining what we MIGHT do with them. Once, I found a cookie tin filled with wonderful buttons and buckles; I could not wait to give it to her -- she was thrilled!
While thinking of ideas for my umbrella, I opened the button box at my studio and the answer was right in front of me. The box is filled with my own buttons and also with Lucy’s. I knew right away that this umbrella would celebrate Lucy and our times together. Once I had that idea, the umbrella came to life.
It has been a gift to me to think about our times together while I worked on the umbrella. I thought of the fun times, the sad times, the times we grew apart, the sadness of her death. But I also was able to relive hearing her wonderful laugh, see her excitement over a new idea, a new book, a great movie or a fun felted purse. I went again on our trip to China, and the cross- country drives to workshops. I used a LOT of those old buttons at last and I can hear her laughing about that even now!
Love you, Lucy.