Visual Connections

If you took a walk with me on the shore, you might think I was in my favorite store excitedly picking things up off the shelves, turning them in my hands, and either putting them back or plunking them in my basket. I can't help it. My eye tends to bounce from shell to rock to driftwood to coiled metal thingamajig — making visual connections of shape, size and color that are irresistible to me!

When I was in college, my Dad gave me the job case in those photos above. In you're not sure what that is, it's a drawer that typesetters use to store and sort various fonts of movable metal type used in letterpress printing. Each of those compartments would hold different letters of the alphabet. When I was a graphic design student, I found that a job case was more functional than beautiful, but when I hung this one on the wall and started to fill it with the tidal treasures I'd gathered, it took on a life of its own.

It hangs in my living room today and also serves as a memoir, of sorts. Each item connects me to a particular place and time and to all the shores I've combed.