At one time or another, every one of us has admired someone choosing the right path in their life. In my childhood, I would always watch my grandmother, fascinated, by the way she sewed. When she was not cooking for us in the morning, she was sewing for us. In the evening when I went to bed, there she would be with needle in hand. Twenty years ago, this was a way of life, a way to earn money for the family, to feed and clothe them against the harsh Romanian winters.
Since she was a child, 13 years old, my grandmother worked as a dressmaker, designing and measuring people for their new clothes, putting in every stitch with exquisite care. But I always felt that her profession was more than a job well-done. It was a calling. Around her lay an aura of quietude and inspiration, a determination and passion that I had not realized was still running strong. Even after two strokes, she continues to work on projects that require an extraordinary amount of attention and creativity, such as the tapestry pictured below: a quiet scene of sparrows perching delightedly on the frost-laden branches of a fir tree, sewn just last winter.
Last weekend, she told me she wished to sell her work in order to buy shoes and clothing for her dear neighbors whose children usually go without during the winter months. On particularly cold and snowy days, my grandmother would scold these neighborhood children for running about out of doors without proper shoes or clothes. I watched my grandmother with her clear face and bright eyes, and I knew there was so much more I had to learn from her.
So, I decided to help her.
The person who buys this picture not only pays for a beautifully-worked tapestry, sewn with the passion of a generation who has not forgotten their old skills, but also a piece of art that is sure to inspire the peace of a winter wonderland in any one who looks on it.
If you know anyone who would be interested in purchasing this item, please contact them. It looks even better in life than it does in the photograph. A picture is worth a thousand words.
The auction, hosted closes on December 20th, 2011.
Starting Price: 300 RON ($100; 70E)
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email me at onutao@gmail.com