Thanksgiving

Found paper, found black & white photograph, graphite, watercolors, and origami paper
19 x 24 cm or 7.5" x 9.5"

Note about this piece:
All the (blue) area below the photograph, is cut out of the paper - I think it might be hard to see here. The purple piece of paper between the two characters is a darker purple in this scan than in real life.


Today is American Thanksgiving. One of the few days in America where the banks and post offices are both closed. Admittedly it is the only mainstream American holiday that my family celebrates- and it is one of two days during the year that we use our formal dining room. In the past, my mom would always dig up the paper cut - outs of turkeys (which used our traced hand print as the turkey body) that my sister and I made in grade school and decorate the table.
As much as I love being with my family on this day we always have to deal with our share of complex family dynamics. Nevertheless I will miss sharing our annual Thanksgiving meal together! Earlier today I was listening to NPR and on the program All Things Considered there was a report on a country Thanksgiving dinner. The narrator stated that Thanksgiving is "...the one time in the entire year where families do the same thing." There is something to be said about the unity of experience.

Happy Thanksgiving.