Puddle Pails and Collections

There is something about collections that has always drawn me to pick up certain objects or be drawn to specific entities.  Recently the phenomena of collecting has begun to come together for me,
with depth of meaning. 

Children's books are one of my favorite things in the world, and one of my favorite children's book author/illustrators is Elisa Kleven.  Her books are brightly illustrated, with drawings full of life and activity.  Her stories are full of fun, imagination, and creativity. 

My children enjoy the worlds we visit when we read Elisa Kleven books, and The Puddle Pail (pictured right) is one of our favorites.  It is about Ernst and his brother Sol, an avid collector of various items.  Sol urges Ernst to start a collection, and Ernst suggests collecting clouds.  I just love it.  Eventually Ernst decides to collect puddles in a pail.  He enjoys the reflections that he has seen in them!  Ernst paints pictures of the puddles he originally collected, and Sol is proud of his little brother.  The next day, on their way to collect blackberries for breakfast, Ernst wants to collect shadows.

A recent quote I connected with by Louise Nevelson comes to mind: "The shadow is as important as the object," and I think of how well I connect with Ernst's character:  He's just like me. 
He sees the importance in things that are fleeting. 

He wants to capture the intangible.  



I have begun to pull some of my tangible collections out from their hiding spaces, and place them on the counter above my kitchen sink.  These are rocks and shells that have come into my possession over the years, either found, given or purchased. 

To touch them, arrange and rearrange them, and look at them while I do dishes brings me joy, makes me think.  I remember how I felt first touching the smoothed gray stone, with all its bumps, and knowing it was an item I had to keep.  The shells bring me back to the ocean, the sand on the beach, and all the wonder and peace attached to seashore memories.

 

We hold these pieces of the world in our hands,

and we are transported to worlds beyond where we stand.

Another quote by one of my all-time favorite artists,

the one and only Louise Nevelson:

"The wonder of collecting is that you are constantly in training

to look for that added dimension that you identify with."

It is exciting to collect things. 
It adds fun to life, opens the eyes

a little wider, and urges the mind to be alert.

From Puddle Pails to rocks and shells,

there is an art to collecting.

Do you collect things?  What do your collections mean to you?