A few years ago I made five potholders. Since then we have become friends, she and her husband John having Zoom dinners with me and Jon during the shutdown.
Ellen is a writer finishing up her latest book and we always have lots to talk about.
A couple of weeks ago Ellen sent me an email saying she burned through two of the potholders that I made her and asked if I could make more for her.
I use them constantly. She wrote me, I love everything about them. I love how pretty they look in my kitchen. I love that art can be functional. I love the notion of women making art however and wherever we found ourselves down through the years. And now I love that they come from you. These potholders are somehow more than just potholders to me. They are a physical manifestation of the important contributions women have made to culture throughout time. That’s a lot of freight for a little potholder, huh?
It is a lot to put on my humble but hardworking potholders, but they can handle it. And actually what Ellen wrote about my potholders is just how I feel about them.
So I made her five more, using some pieces of a quilt square someone sent me, and an old rabbit feed bag among other scraps of fabric.
Yes, beauty — art to be used daily!
I believe in that Bethany.
Your potholders are almost constantly in my field of vision, part of the art of my living room.
So they are hardworking in that way, they hold the space for the important mail, vitamins,
smoothie powders, seeds, office supplies….
I love that Sharon. They can work in more way than one. Thank you.
what I was trying to express is they are part of command central here.
Well I never envisioned that for them. That means a lot to me.