Tag: #ancestors

Celebrating Colors of my Childhood Hometown-Pella, Iowa!

During this last year of social distancing and isolation I have reconnected with some of my past passions, one of which is gardening. I’ve always enjoyed gardening ever since I was a small child. It is magical to put a dried up seed in the ground and have it generate a plant and better yet turn into food. This passion for the dirt is in my DNA as I come from many generations of farmers from the Midwest, Ireland, Germany and Holland. I spent Summers working in my towns city parks of which there are many!

Tulip Tower in Central Park, Pella, Iowa

My hometown is Pella, a gem of a small town of around 10,000 located on the rolling-prairies of Iowa. I feel so fortunate to have grown-up in this town of Dutch heritage! The people of this community are very civic-minded, kind, giving and are continually looking for ways to advance and beautify their town and celebrate its people. The Dutch history of Pella comes through each Spring as more than 125,000 tulips of over 70 different varieties line the streets and the plethora of city parks. This rainbow of color has stuck with me throughout my entire life and has inspired my artwork even up to this day.

Pella plants tens of thousands of tulips each Autumn which paint the town beautiful each Spring!

Growing up in the country outside of Pella I had a lot of exposure to the wonders of the great outdoors. My mother was very adamant that my brothers and sisters and I spend many hours outside. Playing in the creek, wandering the woods and cornfields were all entertainment.

Most of my work features these rich colors from the countryside. To make these rich colors balanced and sing I have had to find an appreciation for the neutrals out there. A wonderful friend and art coach by the name of Gwen Fox has really brought this to the forefront of my mind and art. My least favorite color is red and that is a color that I was challenged to work with in the last year. I did find an appreciation for it but it has still not won my heart.

Downtown Pella and its old original buildings and windmills make it incredibly special

From a young age I loved art! My first memory of taking what I would call a formal art class was when I was about 10 I think. There was a college in town and they offered classes for kids and I really felt like I had found my group of people. I always knew that organized school wasn’t something I was truly interested in. Not that I couldn’t excel at it I just had no interest and therefore didn’t give it any more attention than I really needed to get the grades that were expected from me. I could have been anything had I decided I wanted it bad enough…okay maybe not a rocket scientist only because I really didn’t have any interest in Math. I did like geometry though as it was all about shapes…art right?

These species tulips are one of my absolute favorites: Lady Jane’s

I find it insightful to look back at life and see what helped you become what you are today. I have to say a huge thanks to all my teachers! Pella Community Schools has many very talented and dedicated teachers.

What Do You Think Is One Of My Most Asked Questions?

As I start my yearly retreat in Ireland I thought I’d answer the question that I get asked frequently.

“Why do you travel alone?”

When was the last time you took off on a trip by yourself? I’m not talking a movie night or going to see relatives, although these are a great place to start. I’m talking about a week or weekend where you don’t have to answer to anyone or anything. The job and responsibilities are left behind and the phone isn’t by your side.

Each year I challenge myself to experience a time like this as I head to Ireland for an exhibition and a self-designed residency for six to eight weeks. The first time I did this was a real awakening experience; I had decided to spend an additional week in Ireland after traveling with my sisters and mother. When they left me alone in our last hotel I suddenly realized I had no one but myself to rely on, which was a bit unsettling in a foreign country.

The feelings were both scary and empowering all at the same time.

I knew no one in the entire country that I could have called upon if I had needed help. Once I got past this paralyzing feeling I began to experience the biggest rush of an adventure. Each time I accomplished something I told myself “Look that wasn’t hard and you did it all on your own!”

Traveling on your own comes with some wonderful perks. YOU decide which exhibitions you attend, what architectural marvels you walk past, how long you linger in a space and what direction you walk.

Good or bad, right or wrong each decision is yours…ALL YOURS!

Over the years I have found this time to be very cathartic. I spend a great deal of time soul-searching, writing, creating artwork and gathering information which later is translated into works of art in my Huntsville, Alabama studio. Writing was never something that I considered myself to be good at but it has really given a lot back to me over time. I force myself to reflect on my life and all the riches that it provides on a daily basis and what I’d love to add to it over time. These discoveries always manage to find their way into my work either through my writing or creative manifestations. I spend a great deal of time observing nature while climbing the mountains and sitting by the sea. The freshness of the breezes whipping my hair from side to side give my skin that freshly touched feeling.

Me finding balance in life…even if it is on a rock.

These times of solitude feel like a baptism, allowing me to open a new chapter in my life. I can’t wait to see where this year challenges me to go!

How do you reset or challenge yourself?

Big Inspiration in a Small Town!

John and Margaret Shea’s 1800’s home.

One of my favorite places to visit would be the small town of Apple River, Illinois. This is a town that many probably travel through and don’t give a second look in this rural area of Northern Illinois. For me it holds a great deal of history and it brings hugs from years ago. My Greatx3 Grandparents were pulled to this area through their longing for land in this new country around 1845. What they got was beautiful black loamy soil that was rich for farming and held the ability to raise a family of twelve.

Love the deep window sills created by the thick rock walls!

Before and after arriving in the United States my Grandfather was a miner. This occupation had its hard work and dangerous working conditions. In Ireland he mined copper and in the U.S. he brought lead to the surface. His long, hard days were measured by the burning of candles one after the other to measure the workday. Miners were given tools (picks and shovels) by the company to retrieve the precious metals only to have them weighed at the weeks end to be charged for the metal that had been worn away. This loss of metal was charged against the small pay that they were to receive. Don’t get me wrong, I am sure they were grateful for the work but the conditions were less than favorable and the pay was barely enough for a family to survive on. Many of these miners were woman and children as well. It took most of the family working to have food to eat and a very small “roof” over their head.  

Original Barn built prior to the house as shelter for man and beast.

My Grandparents were fortunate to have left Ireland before the “an Gorta Mór”. They instead worried and grieved for family still remaining in the country during this horrible time. During this time in Ireland land was taken from those that had worked it for many generations and given to landowners by the governing body. Land was a scarce commodity and therefore a big achievement for emigrants arriving in the states. We are very proud of where we come from and the grit and determination it must have taken for our ancestors to achieve all that they did and I pull a lot of my inspiration from them.  

My Grandparents, John Shea and Margaret Murphy, immigrants from Ireland.

In Apple River, Illinois stands the home and farm of my Greatx3 Grandparents. It appears that they built the barn and lived in it while they built their Irish-style stone house. It is a three up, three down Irish-style house made of stone. The stone was acquired from a quarry not far from the homes location. The windows have deep sills and the front faces South to maximize the warming light during those cold winter days. We are so fortunate to still have this home standing. It has been restored and cared for by the John and Barbara Rutherford family. John, having a love of history was so pleased when my Uncle discovered the property and was able to interject our family history into the home of which he was so passionate about. Our families will always have a bond together because of this beautiful home and farm.

Much thanks to the Rutherford family for saving

our precious family history!