The Stories They’d Tell – Daily Painting

“The Stories They’d Tell” – 5 1/8″ x 7″ – oil on canvas mounted on masonite.

Among the homeliest objects in our home are this old pair of scissors and a wooden “Clarks” spool. Both are probably from the 40s or 50s, judging from the look of them. Occasionally we’ll go to estate sales in our area, and inevitably there is a sewing basket with old scissors, spools and papers of pins. I like to think about their years of service and all the jobs they’ve done – a hem raised or lowered to suit the fashion of the time … a collar taken off and reversed to save buying a new shirt during the Great Depression … a Halloween costume made. Perhaps this thread and scissors patched up a hole in Santa’s jacket before it was packed away for another year.

What stories would your scissors tell, years from now?

Comments

  1. ksklein
    February 14, 2007

    wow. so far this is the best scissor i´ve seen. wow. the painting is really beautiful! i still haven´t started with this. don´t have any idea.

  2. laserone
    February 14, 2007

    What an amazing painting. I love the colors you used. Really, really nice. :)

  3. Casey
    February 14, 2007

    You’ve packed a lot of emotion and feeling into some simple objects.

  4. Kunya
    February 14, 2007

    Karen, this is wonderful. The choice of colors gives a realy warm atmosphere…and brings up lots of memories. Great work.

  5. Christeen
    February 14, 2007

    hi Karen- this one just blew me away- what an exquisite painting! Without having too much detail to it, it ‘feels’ old. Nice color choices, and composition. This is the most unique take I’ve seen yet on the scissors topic. :)

  6. TeriC
    February 14, 2007

    This is such a gorgeous yet simple painting! Yes, what story would our scissors tell!

  7. Linda
    February 14, 2007

    Oh Karen, I saw this one and IMMEDIATELY thought about my Grandmere, who was the most talented seamstress I ever met. The painting even evoked a momentary whiff of her attic sewing room — isn’t that strange? It is just fabulous!

  8. hfm
    February 15, 2007

    😉

  9. Kathleen Rietz
    January 11, 2008

    I love this painting! I can just sense the stories behind the old scissors and thread. Very nice.

  10. Get Zapped
    January 11, 2008

    Great illo and post! I love your idea of what one’s scissors could tell. I’ve always love to make things with paper, to imagine all the lovely things my scissors have contributed to….

  11. Faruffa
    January 11, 2008

    Simply wonderful :o)

  12. Willie
    January 11, 2008

    The scissors are trying to talk right now! 😉

  13. n.b.
    January 12, 2008

    Scissors are hard…you did a great job Karen!

  14. carla
    January 14, 2008

    I have the same thoughts when I look at simple objects that have had a long life… they were part of other lives in their own small way. This is a very nicely composed painting… I really admire the work on the scissors. Good one!

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