On an East Texas Research Mission
As soon as my extended family, husband and I were vaccinated and past the CDC recommended waiting period, we said goodbye to the cats and headed to East Texas for… Read more On an East Texas Research Mission →
The Huntington McBryde Kids
This is a family photo of my great-grandmother (in green), her siblings and her cousins. The little boy in the overalls, my great-great uncle Sherman, grew up to be a… Read more The Huntington McBryde Kids →
A Multitude of Matriarchs
This print was taken from a 1960s baby shower at the Homer United Methodist Church. These were the hostesses, family friends who could always be counted on to spray their hair, polish up their cat-eye glasses and punch bowls, and run the show. Many, many years after this, I hosted my first shower for my own expectant friend, in the same church fellowship hall where these ladies stand. I remember standing in the church breezeway, cutting gladiola stems, wondering if we had enough tablecloths and feeling a connection to the… Read more A Multitude of Matriarchs →
Tacky Party
This painting was inspired by a photo of my great-grandmother, auntie, grandmother, great-great-auntie and their church lady friends. I grew up in a small, unincorporated community outside a marginally larger town, so the people who are your friends as children are usually your friends your whole lives. These ladies were no exception, and neither am I. We are lucky like that. We’ve had to say goodbye to most of these ladies over the years, and the ones still with us are in their late-80s, so time is a gift. I,… Read more Tacky Party →
Gold Dancer
When I was around 4, my friend Missy and I were in a dance recital. Missy’s a bit older than me, and I always coveted her “grown up” style. This gold number that she wore in her “big kid’s” performance on stage back in 1980 was no exception. I don’t remember what my costume was that year, but I’m sure it looked childish and unsophisticated in comparison.
