Growing Up
My grandparents house and our house.
I grew up in a small town in southern Alberta. Drumheller is known for the dinosaur badlands, and was one of the towns located in this long valley surrounded by dessert like hills, with the Red Deer river snaking though the center. When I was young, the surroundings areas were dotted with coal mines, and this area flourished. The mines are where my grandfather worked. I had wonderful life as a toddler and girl before 6 years old, living in a small house literally in the same yard as my grandparents (Baba & Jedo). Our houses were located directly beside one of the hills, where we would often climb, explore, pick crocus’s, and toboggan down in the winter time. We literally had a white picket fence that surrounded the 2 small houses. While mom and dad worked, Baba looked after my sister and I. They were wonderful grandparents from the old country. Baba was always cooking, baking and crocheting. I spent many hours in the kitchen learning to make her dishes….. pedahe (perogies), pies, cakes, apple strudel and chicken paprikash, just to name a few.
Jedo had an accident in the coal mine early in his working career, which left him on disability and walking with a cane. Therefore, he was always home, tending to the large garden, watering the whole thing by hand. He sat patiently, on a tall stool, with nozzle in hand, watering each section. In the winter he made us a little skating rink, where part of the garden stood. He also kept busy making sauerkraut in a large crock pot in the basement, and working in his small dark garage, repairing and building things.
A sketch of my favorite color discovery.. as I remember.
One of my earliest memories of my artist life, is when I was about 5 years old, my cousin Marilyn was babysitting me just down the street where my Aunt lived. We were coloring in a coloring book. I believe the picture was of a parrot. She started using 2 colors together - purple and blue. I recall thinking that those 2 colors were so beautiful together! For years to follow, a cool purple was one of my favorite colors. This was the start of my creative essence. The desire to create, explore, learn, and just maybe, look at the world in a different way that most people do.
