Stuck in an Old Book

Gloria Isabel Sanborn, Hoohoo, 1925-82

M Y  C O L L E C T I O N — This is a perfect example of why I've saved every scrap of paper and torn-up old notebook and envelope and everything else from my famly. Day Six of my attic project, and I've finally gone through every carton and box packed in the last move. I can barely breathe with all of the dust and antique detritus everywhere, but mostly in my lungs and nose right now. Pieces I still own from our original family home sold in 1985 were packed and repacked and repacked and with my lifestyle for most of the time, nothing was ever really gone through. That's what I'm doing this fall. I'm going to use a LOT of the paper items, old photos etc in my new art. I have no idea how I'm going to do this without having them look like a shopping bag for a tourist store, lol, but I know I'll work it out.

In the meantime, the beautiful photo above was found today in an old envelope in an old book that anyone else would have dumpster tossed years ago, Frankly, the book was in ruins and wouldn't have been collectible even in mint condition. I know the way my family thought, I know the way they "stored" things, and I know what I've found in the past, so I've saved "junk" like this until I had the time and inclination to sort through it all like I am now. This photo of Hoohoo as a young child is all of 1 1/4" x 1 3/4", barely bigger than a postage stamp. It's terribly faded but there was something about it that warranted a closer look. 

You can judge for yourself if I was fortunate to have found it! I adore it, and once again am in awe of my grandmother's "eye" and her skill with such rudimentary cameras. Even though Hoohoo was only 5-6-7 years old in this photo, I can see her adult face and personality in every part of this image. I love the sharpness, and the softness, of the different parts of the photo, and the fact my grandmother often told her subjects not to look at the camera really works here.