Thursday, January 15, 2009

Art Triggers Memories


You've likely had art trigger a memory. I had a wonderful trigger yesterday. Mika made a painting called "Buddies in a Box" (go see!) that reminded me of my little brother playing on moving day. That's him in the photo, twenty some odd years ago.


Do you know what I remember? He was chuckling. The most joyful sound in the world is a baby breaking out in a rip roaring belly laugh. Yeah, those boxes were great fun. Now I'm remembering all the roly poly chubbiness and padded diaper butt. Warm milk breath, and the peach fuzz hair... Saw his lids lilac, pink cheeks and rose mouth. He would laugh and smile in his sleep. "I wonder what he’s dreaming," mom had said.

10 comments:

Raghav Mahalingam said...

Cute photo - very much a Mastercard ad : "baby's happy chuckles - priceless."

bindu said...

PS - sorry, the previous comment was from me. Looks like my husband's account was open, and it posted as him!!

Unknown said...

Shayla, your post brings back memories of not my childhoood but my children. I was looking at their baby and toddler photos 2 days ago and remembering how cute they were...the girls are entering their teens. I miss the days where they'll listen to everything I say haha..and not answer back of course ;p

india flint said...

it was nice to wander over and find a chucklebaba!

Jeane Myers said...

hey Shayla - this pic really did trigger memories of my boys when they were babies and that full out laughter they could turn on sometimes - it was a good step back to remember that! thanks

Kathryn Costa said...

ahhhh "chuckling." Now that sound, the sound of a baby chuckling is so sweet. It is filled with pure joy. I think we get to a certain age where we lost much joy and we work so hard to go back to that time when we chuckled like your brother in this photo. He is a cutie.

ArtPropelled said...

Your brother in a box reminds me of the fun we all used to have as kids, playing house in huge cartons. My own art can take me back to the day I was most happy with it, the weather, music I was listening to etc.

MiKa Art said...

Wow- your little brother is very cute! And what a warm, beautifyl memory to read!!

picciolo said...

mica's painting is adorable, I can see why it reminded you of your photo. It triggered memories for me of Holly when she was very small playing in a big box, ith only the top of her head and eye peeping over he top
: )

Shayla said...

Bindu, lol. I do that too!

M.Kate- ah yes, teenagers :D A whole new chapter...

"Chucklebaba", India, what a fun word, hee, hee. It's got rhythm!

Jeane, glad it brought back good memories for you.

Yeah, Kathryn, babies don't have much baggage :)

Robyn, what a positive thing to chanel into your art. I remember you doing that with the owls...

Thanks, Mika :D

Jane, so cute! I can just picture her. I bet she looked just like the blonde girl in Mika's painting.