Rough and Smooth

 

One day at work, the teacher I assist, asked me to go around the classroom and collect rough and smooth items for a class assignment we were going to do with the students the next day. So I went around the various areas and selected a variety of objects that were both visually appealing and enjoyable to touch, such as a pinecone, a rubber toy, a stuffed animal, etc. and put them in a recyclable plastic bag.

 I don’t know if the students had ever consciously contemplated the texture of items before this exercise, but for some reason it stuck with me and after I  saw African-American artist, Betye  Saar’s works at  LACMA in the “Afro-Atlantic Histories” exhibit then started reading the book “Betye Saar: The David C. Driskell Series Of African American Art Volume II” I was inspired to create another Keepsake Box called “Rough and Smooth” containing two pieces of wood I’d found, a small, smooth pebble, a dried leaf, two q-tips and a red and white piece of toile fabric.

Symbolically I feel the box represents the past week, following Easter vacation, which proved to be a rough one for me, with a few special moments thrown in as a reminder that no experience is all bad if you put it into perspective and keep on keeping on.

When it comes to fashion, rough and smooth, could mean anything from a recycled, Michael Stars tee photographed against a white wall to a black and gold bracelet set against bare skin. It can also mean a vintage top and bottom accessorized with a colorful scarf.

Whether it’s a keepsake box or an outfit that represents the contrast the duality is definitely worth experimenting with.