The Bluebird of Happiness

One of the nice things about collecting and using vintage textiles is that occasionally someone is kind enough to pass some along to me. I give them a good home--I clean them, if needed, and do minor repairs, photograph them, and store them properly. And I pay homage to the women who stitched them by incorporating them into my work where it seems appropriate.

Recently Diane sent me, among other pretty things, two expertly embroidered and pristine pillowcases with these cheerful bluebirds on them. They will be joining the flock of other bluebirds in my collection, like these:

And this one, who seems to be hanging out with Bambi and his mother:

These images are either hopeless saccharine, or retro-chic; take your pick. They don't seem to have a direct correlation to the kind of images I work with now, but household items like these were part of my childhood and are now part of my visual lexicon. And they make me happy. Thanks again, Diane!