Sneak preview of "Mrs. S" a journal page from "Pieces of Me III" Show
I enjoy making commemorative journal pages about family, friends, real life or fictive characters or even strangers who’ve transformed my life in some way. This week’s sneak preview is about, “Mrs. S”, a journal page from my upcoming Atrium Show.
I was all set to make a page about another teacher, when in my present-day life and studio, bits and pieces of my sixth grade teacher Mrs. Salazar began to manifest themselves. Her ghost followed me throughout the summer. It’s been 30 years since she taught me. From time to time we run into each other on the street and catch up on life and old classmates. I haven’t seen her in ages. Then a few months ago, I stumbled across two women who looked exactly like her… one, very well off strolling through a crowded mall and the other, a plainly dressed woman with dry, calloused hands who caught my eye on a local bus. Which one was the real Mrs. Salazar: the first or the second? Neither? I was too shy to ask. This got me thinking about her … like the telling tea leaf patterns on the bottom of a cup, certain magazine fragments on my studio table seemed to whisper her name… and so “Mrs. S” emerged…
Mrs. E. Salazar. I don’t remember what the “E” stands for. But I know she was a single mom with two teenage daughters and that she hailed from the Caribbean. She was as strict as she was humorous. Her specialty was teaching the Arts; her passions: music, poetry and drama. She took pride in featuring original inventive works by her students on our school stage. Every year she organized the annual school play. She loved cooking too and had us organize a spaghetti lunch during which my best friend Louanne threw up after pretending to choke on a pork meatball made by another classmate she didn’t want to eat! We all thought it was hilarious – Mrs. S. thought it was just plain bad manners! Her eccentric sense of discipline had us trembling as well as laughing. For example, if we chewed gum in class we didn’t simply have to throw it out…. no way… Mrs. S had more notorious methods of dealing with this classroom crime. She’d have us stand up on our desks like statues… one hand held up high, displaying our wad of gum! Needless to say being a die-hard gum chewer, I was often on exhibit! For music class, she naturally chose songs from Central America and the Islands. When I gazed at her ebony skin, it evoked not only those far-away places but also the wilds of Africa: that ancient cradle of civilization. Mrs. S was visible proof of the world outside North America. She was the only teacher of colour I had during my whole schooling – from elementary school to university! She made such an impression on me. How did she do it by herself I wondered, a single mother with no husband to support her who was proud of her heritage and able to defend her beliefs – she was a strong spirit! Like the strength I derived from the stories of Toni Morrison or the music of Janet Jackson, Mrs. Salazar was a shining example to me that women of colour could survive, thrive and shape this world.
I highly encourage making journal pages to memorialize those amazing figures in your life. I find them helpful to reflect upon when I’m down and feel like nobody in the world has ever cared for me… they perk me right up, make me smile and give me a reason to be grateful for being alive.
Blog Reader Challenge:
Make a list of ten people who’ve transformed your life. Choose one and make a journal page or some type of art that commemorates them. Share this piece with family, friends, and if you like, even me!
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