Page from My Mom's High School Yearbook - It Notes She had "Skillful Sketches" :)

Playful, Joyful, Precious Ceramic Tile PUZZLE Masterpiece! (Hand Cut, Carved, & Painted/ Glazed Tile)

(I am basically copying from my FB post of this, back when. I documented my trying to figure-out how to piece together this treasure of a ceramic tile puzzle, made by my Mom, which I found in a box in her garage! I STILL [to date] have not gotten to glue these tiles together, to keep them as a picture, but I WILL !!!)
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My Mom Trudy DuBois' Ceramic Tile Puzzle Masterpiece

I found a box holding the pieces of this magnificent tile picture in the depths of my mom's artist's garage - a hidden treasure!! When I saw... a couple of the parts, I was blown away! I ran and told my brother to come out and see. I said, "Cover your eyes...Now, open 'em!" I told him, "This is gonna be a masterpiece!" He let me take the whole kit caboodle home. I searched for confirmation that this was, indeed, my mom's own handiwork. I did not see a signed piece yet, but the back of each piece is numbered in what does look like her own script.
I had never seen this tile picture before - no, not even a bit of it! Then again though, I found other glorious handmade ceramic tile work of hers in her garage that I had never seen before either!
I am now certain that this IS her work, however! Besides the carved numbers on the back, the content and styling of several pieces of this set is all the evidence I need to indeed believe this is her work!
The overall content shows things she was passionate about - children, joy, pure fun, the beautiful outdoors, and greenery...
In particular though, the kite blowing in the wind, the baby-child sitting and holding a bouquet of flowers (dandelions?), and especially the inclusion of a farmhouse with a silo (with its cross-hatched sides) are all strongly characteristic of the same styling and/or subject matter that I've seen in other artwork by my Mom.
What I want to share too though, is that this would be my mom's sense of humor - to leave me with a precious treasure...in the form of a puzzle!!!! And in case anybody thinks that this must be a pretty easy one to piece together, well guess what? It's not!!! Yeah, mom WOULD do this to me, and have a big 'ole laugh about it! The joke is on me, but I don't mind. LOL - THANKS, Mom!!! When Jehovah resurrects her back to life, I will be sure to let her know what a good one she pulled on me!!

1 & 2 [Above] ) The pieces - I had never seen them, or them all put together in a picture - ever - before I found them in a cardboard box in the garage, and moved them to here!

3.)

4.)

5.) Very much her styling and content matter!

6.) Maaaaaaom!!!!!!

7.) Coming together, some anyway!!

8.) Very funny, Mom! (She used to beat me at Scrabble, too!!!)

9.) Okay. This is boggling. Time for a dinner break - pasta & coffee, just like my mom would have liked it.

10.) I think my mom, resurrected, and the artist M.C. Escher, resurrected, would make great art friends.

11.) Major breakthrough!

12.) Well, after stepping away, and then doing some revolutionary and thrilling-suspenseful-delightful flipping, I'm happy to report that I'm down to figuring where those previously mysterious triangle edges should go! Really gettin' there now!

13.) What a trip!! That was/ is AWESOME! Thank You, Mom!!!! That's a message I'll say now and store in my heart until I get to say it to her in person, in the future paradise here!! I will also tell her, great but happy joke and gift, Mom - yes, it DID take a while (!) to put together, LOL!!

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Additional pics, which FB audiences, for the most part, would not have the time or patience for - [coming soon!]
 

 

 

 

My Mom, Writing to the U of M: "Art is a Language that Transcends Space and Time"; "I am Interested in World Language that is Not Defined by Geo-Political Borders"

This is the text of my Mom's letter she wrote to the University of Minnesota administration; explaining the serious hardship that the then-new requirement (for a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree), of two years of study of a foreign language would bring upon her.

My Mom had gone back to school as a (much) older adult; and had worked so hard (and sacrificed so much), to achieve all she had, towards her dream of receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Arts. She was an outstanding, excellent student – but now this new foreign language requirement seemed like a mountain of a burden, dropped in the way of all she had worked for.

This was the letter she wrote, asking for that blockade to be removed for her – and explaining how she had already been sharing in and learning from intercultural experiences through food, art, and more; and how much she wanted to utilize THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE of ART.

When I found and read this, I was so, so, so proud of her; and further touched, wow-ed, and inspired by her!!! (In it, she describes some life circumstances and conditions – but she didn't even mention the worst and/or most difficult (and tragic) things she had suffered and endured!!)

Here's her letter, and the photo she had enclosed. I had it all framed, and keep it in sight, heart, and mind – especially the premises of the last parts! What a woman!!!

(It turned out that her request WAS GRANTED – and she graduated among the top of her class, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, in Studio Arts, AT AGE 68!!!!!!!!!!! <3 <3 <3 <3 !!!!!!!!!!)

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This letter is in regard to the C.L.A. language requirement for a B.F.A. degree. This is a petition to have the requirement deferred for Gertrude M. DuBois.

    I was educated in Catholic grade and high schools. I had to memorize and translate church Latin starting in the fourth grade through eighth grade. I was then taught to read and translate classical Latin for two years in high school. This study was intense. This was 52 years ago. Although the study was good for my English grammar and vocabulary, it has been too long for me to remember as language by itself. I was never taught to add Latin to my language or to use it in conversation. Conversation in a foreign language is completely foreign to me (no pun intended). 

    In recent years, foreign languages have been taught to grade school and high school students. Some or most people in a foreign language class would be way ahead of me from the beginning. I would not want the stress of that kind of competition; I do like good grades. Two years away from art is too long a time. It was suggested that I study sign language but I think that I should not.   

    Following an accident, I had cortisone treatment and an air brace for my right arm. I have no wish to go through that kind of pain again. I went to physical therapy for three years. I had multiple soft tissue injuries. Some are permanent. One of the injuries was a closed head injury. It left me with a post concussive hemangeoma. My language was affected. This is something I have to fight most days even though I am better.

    Nearly fifty years ago, I came to the University of Minnesota to search for a subject major. Harassment of students, or anyone, was okay at that time and I was harassed. It was too difficult to study or do what I started out to do. So I quit school. My life at home was also difficult because my father was very ill and my baby sister was all but dead (my mother spent all of her time with her). I had responsibility for five other children. I should mention that it was a good learning experience. I had the subjects that I took bracketed after I started back here to school.

    

    When I came back to school, I chose art for my subject major. Due to my disability I was not employable. I felt that art would be an acceptable occupation for an older person. I do have to earn an income so that I might have retirement income. I need seven more years of earnings to get more social security than I do now ($294.00 minus $50.00 per month). So I must hurry. The playing field is tipping away from me. I think that if I had a degree, even though I want more art classes, I could make some money. At my age it is not enough to say that I am an artist, I need a degree behind my name. Experience is not enough.

    I have had many experiences in life that are certainly cultural. Some were because of my families' politics, for example I met Harry Truman, Barkley his V.P. and have corresponded with Hubert Humphrey. I coached ball for years. I was president of our booster club and that did involve fund raising. I was a volunteer teacher for cooking and so on. I studied foreign food and cooking through the Universities' extension service. I also did some writing for master gardener newspaper articles. I am an agent for food safety and preservation, another University extension service program. I think that these were all good cultural experiences.

    For most of my life, I have studied other cultures through food history. I studied any major culture that had a written food history. I did learn some foreign terms pertaining to that subject. Food history tells one about other cultures, their places on earth, their habits and beliefs, their climate. their agriculture, their appearance, their wars, their diseases, and so much more. So if the purpose of foreign language study is to give one a way to experience another culture, I think I have already done that. Food history was another kind of art.

    Art is a language that transcends space and time far beyond the spoken or written word. Its' meaning does not change like words do. I am interested in world language that is not defined by geo-political borders. 

    Art is the language that I intend to use for the rest of my life. I have much to share with others from my head and my heart through my art. I would be willing to answer any questions about what I have written.

                                                  Sincerely yours,

                                                   Gertrude M. DuBois (Trudy) 

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So, again (caps, mine) - 

"ART IS A LANGUAGE THAT TRANSCENDS SPACE AND TIME FAR BEYOND THE SPOKEN OR WRITTEN WORD...."

"I AM INTERESTED IN WORLD LANGUAGE THAT IS NOT DEFINED BY GEO-POLITICAL BORDERS."

"ART IS THE LANGUAGE THAT I INTEND TO USE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. I HAVE SO MUCH TO SHARE WITH OTHERS FROM MY HEAD AND MY HEART THROUGH MY ART."

AMAZING! <3

Double Watercolor and Poem of Life-Vital Advice from My Mom: Calm is Good, etc!

I found this precious poem-in-the works/ poem note-to-self in my Mom's kitchen, in the phone area, I believe! (In those days, it was all about "land lines"!) Maybe it was one of her phone doodles - and/or a reminder to stay calm, while dealing with things over the phone (and in life in general)?

I attached it to a background of a watercolor painting, that seemed to be a peach-pink and yellow sky, reminding me of the beautiful and inspiring, pink morning sky that would sometimes pour through the kitchen window of my home growing up.

I clipped - and also glued, to the above morning (?) sky - a little watercolor of a small, 5-petalled flower; whose petals housed a sea of various shades of purple, violet, light-purple, with a most gentle touch of peach (and which had a delicate yellow center). This was especially fitting, because the watercolor shadows of this flower make it seem as though it is sweeping, wisping through the air, through the sky - to gently and lovingly herald a message of importance; in this found art, this poem.

These are the words I can make out - with guesses included! - 

"Every yesterday hated and gone
Gone splat, like
Fallen rotten grapes
They stink

Today is fresh and sweet
Enjoy the perfect wine [view?] 
You'll save the ______for tomorrow at best [?]
Tomorrow we will sow like
The harvest we reap from yesterday
Today - what will it be?
Hate - love?
Misery - peace
Anger - calm"

                                 - Trudy DuBois

Beautiful, Curved Stoneware Vase, with SQUARED Sides, Base, and Top Opening; Fine Blue and Tan Diamond Pattern; and a Great Example of My Mom's Tulip Insignia Carved in the Bottom

My brother has this beauty now - it was one of her more masculine designs. So beautiful and intriguing though - I loved it!!!

Couple and Grapes Lamp (Title, Mine) Large Ceramic, Sculpted Lamp

From my Mom's upper room - kind of a storage room. My brother wanted to keep this one. It is big!! Looking at these pictures now though, I can really notice the nuances of this couple more now. The expressions on their faces are intriguing to me - but yet, I can relate! I'm loving the grape leaves, and the lady's head scarf.

Trudy (Mom) at Her Graduation Display, with a few Paintings, and the Precious Little Subjects of them Standing Under Each of Them!

She painted what she loved! My Mom sketched and/or painted each of her kids and grandchildren (except for [so far as I know] the baby, Mary Jo, whom she lost, after only one day - sigh...). Anyways, here she is, looking quite happy!!!!! What a joyful time!! (The little girl on the right was a neighbor girl/friend of my niece and nephew, on the left.)

I was so proud of her, for having worked so hard, and graduating in the top of her class, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, in Studio Arts, at the University of Minnesota, at AGE 68 ! - after having endured such an extremely difficult and heartbreaking life as she had, that afterwards, I went out into my car, and absolutely bawled my eyes out crying. I am crying now. What what she managed to endure, but yet accomplish, was phenomenal. At yet, do you see this smile? That's how she was - she exuded deep down inner joy and positivity (with hope for the future) despite everything; and she was crack-up funny, right down to "the end." She'll be back - smiling and making jokes - and then I'll be happier again, too.