If you're like me, you come from a long line of crafty folk. Both of my grandmothers and great grandmothers could crochet like a master, my mom is an amazingly talented oil painter and pastel artist, my dad and grandfather knew their way around a workbench, then there's me - my hands in all sorts of artistic pots, always following the inner drive telling me to "create, create, create." Since we recently moved and when you move you have to go through EVERYTHING, I came across a few treasures that only the crafty can appreciate. Tucked high on a shelf were my grandmother's and mother's button boxes. I'd sit at my mom's feet when I was a kid sorting, organizing and grouping the buttons together in a pattern that only made sense to me. There was my other grandmother's pale pink sewing box, which I use almost daily, my grandfather's screw drivers that are covered in bits of paint and worn on the handle where his hands once were, and fillet crocheted doilies hidden in a cedar chest made by great grandmothers I never had a chance to meet, their work so fine and intricate that it puts my crochet work to shame.
I came across this article recently on grandmothers and their granddaughters and things that have been passed down between them. It struck a chord, as it probably will with many of you, dear readers. It made me think of the holidays, families, gift-giving and traditions that are repeated year after year. Sharing it here seemed apropos of this time of year. Original article here.
The Special Bond Between Grandmothers And Their Granddaughters Revealed Through Their Presents
A social photography project ‘A Present’ is collaboration between two Lithuanian artists: jeweler Giedre Duoble and photographer Ugne Henriko. The photographs explore the complex relationships between women of different generations through the presents given by grandmothers to their granddaughters.
Photography project‘s approach to capture gifts as symbols offers a deeply personal reflection of the values that have been passed between generations for eternity. “The project is about presents that are intended to be kept forever.”, said Giedre Duoble, founder of jewelry brand 57 Edges, “These photos capture the symbols of eight different timeless relationships. I love the idea that my jewelry designs could one day form a link between two generations and contribute to keeping family values alive.”
Photographer Ugne Henriko explored a similar theme in her earlier project ‘Mother and Daughter’, where she replicated the pictures her mother took when she was the same age as Ugne; the photos were published in ‘The Guardian’ and ‘Huffington Post’. It was this wish to talk about the relationships between generations that inspired the two artists to create a project together.
Singer Dovile Filmanaviciute (‘Miss Sheep’) received textiles woven by her grandmother Stanislava
Jeweler Giedre Duoble with her grandmother Regina and her present – a “Singer” sewing machine
Fashion designer Milda Cergelyte received a box of buttons from her grandmother Vida
Actress Toma Vaskeviciute received a handbag her grandmother used to wear
TV presenter Laima Kybartiene with her granddaughters Auguste and Kotryna and their present – a jewellery box
TV presenter Bernadeta Lukosiute gave her granddaughter Vilte a chair made by her great-grandfather. Vilte likes to do her homework sitting on that chair
Graphic designer Goda Jackute received a necklace made from black amber that her grandmother Elena wore on her wedding day
Ona Ceslava gave an old stove to her granddaughter, actress Aiste Lasyte
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