Here's To Ya Wayne................

Maggie here, and I know, it’s been months since I took time away from the bench to write for this blog.  It’s like that sometimes, and sometimes it is going to take something kind of big for me to write.  So here we go, there is a point so hang in there with me.

I am the oldest cousin of my generation.  There were six “original” cousins (known as “THE cousins) and five more who came along a bit later.  The oldest of the second batch was my cousin, Wayne Magisano.  He was named after an uncle who had died suddenly in early adulthood.  Since Wayne was eight years younger than me and I left home when I was seventeen, I didn’t really  get to know him, and yet I will never forget him.

This is my “Wayne” memory.  It comes from the time when I was about twelve and he was about four.  My mom, his Aunt Waldene (she went by Dee, which sounds a bit less like a small town in Wyoming), was very adventurous and would gather all “the cousins”, plus Wayne, in her little car and off we would go.  We never knew exactly where we would end up – rain or shine.  On this particular day, probably sometime in the spring, we were headed to an area near Albany, NY to scope out the 4-H camp in which my sister and I were to be imprisoned for a week later that summer.  At some point after arriving at the camp, it began to rain.  I mean DELUGE!  In minutes, all seven kids were soaked to the bone.  S O A K E D.  My crafty mom told us to take off our wet socks and roll them up in our car windows so they would dry in the air as we continued on our excursion.  So there we were, all 8 of us, crammed in and cruising down the road in our 1962 Ford Falcon with sixteen long white tube socks flying from the windows.  I loved this about my mom.  

Eventually, we stopped, likely for a potty break, at a doll museum.  Seven young kids, without socks, or much discipline, decided to take a look around.  I can still see the look of terror on the pudgy woman behind the glass counter as we raced to the door.  In my mind, her name is Wilma.  All the dolls were set up in fancy dioramas and everything was fragile.  Everything, especially Wilma.  Wayne was the youngest in the bunch and a rather gregarious child by my recollection. Each of us was warned to keep an eye on Wayne and not one of us did.  Wilma screamed.  We feared the worst, heading like a stampede toward the action.  There HE was, Wayne, climbing out of a diorama with a doll’s arm in one hand, like a hairless King Kong scattering a miniature living room set with his giant dirty bare feet.  Wilma was clutching her chest as Aunt Waldene/Mom whisked us all away.

I don’t remember much else.  I knew that Wayne loved and excelled at baseball.  I know my dad  who loved baseball, was proud of him and there were hopes that he would become a pro.  Instead he got married and had a son who was also athletic.  Wayne coached and bowled and worked with his father. He did not become a professional baseball player but I think he was happy.  When he was just 41 years old, Wayne died.  Suddenly.  Unexpectedly.  Taken from his family by an aneurism.  I did not have a chance to say good bye.

Live NOW brooch

The beautiful pin back & stamp

 

This last July, randomly, I was contacted by a woman representing the Joe Niekro Foundation.  Joe Niekro was a baseball player who spent many years with the Houston Astros baseball team.  He lost his life to a brain aneurism.  I was invited  to donate a piece of my work for auction at the annual Knuckle Ball which raises money for the research of brain aneurisms.  So, to make a long story come to an end, on September 7^th, my brooch “Live Now” was auctioned off to help raise funds to be spent trying to find out more about the very thing that took my little rambunctious cousin away from the family that loved him.


Here's to ya, Wayne.

Stacking it On!

Remember just a year ago, I needed counseling to be in the same room with my torch? Now, just get out of my way, I am hell-bent on melting stuff down!  That's because, in my hiatus from writing, I took two very inspiring classes from two very inspiring women, Mary Hettmansperger and Diane Falkenhaven.  Both women have mastered alternative textures on metals and have generously imparted their many years of practice and wisdom on the likes of eager newbies like me.  I'm anxious to see how these new skills impregnate whatever is hatched next.

Birdy Frame necklace

One of the things I learned was that you can do some very interesting things to copper with a standing torch. 

Gertie's necklace front

& back

Reticulated & patina'd drops with Copper Rivets

 That fueled my curiosity of the reticulation process: a totally superficial delight given by repeatedly almost melting and then quenching a piece of silver.  I was born to do this!

Reticulated & patina'd drops

Assorted new work

On other fronts, I fulfilled my very first wholesale order to Timothy’s Gallery in Winter Park, Florida.  It was a BIG order for me and I wasn't sure I would be able to pull it off.  But, in spite of myself, I did pull it off!  (This might be a good segue into a story about the REAL reason my business is called Maggie's MELTDOWN, but let's leave that for another post.)

Finally, stackers--lots of 'em!  I found myself with a new standing torch and a bunch of silver wire and no one around to say ENOUGH ALREADY!  So, have I got a deal for you....

Now, where is the fire extinguisher?

Back to the World

It's been awhile since I took the time to write anything here, but that doesn't mean I’ve been sitting around with a bon-bon box wistfully glued to old B&W movies dreaming of dancing backwards with Fred Astaire! (Or even Ginger Rogers!)

It's been a busy holiday season!  I did my first art shows!  What an educational experience that was!  (Those of you who know me would think I had already had that education!)

Then, Dr. G, The Poodle, and myself took a road trip to Arizona for a little family & friend time.  We home-based near downtown Phoenix in the gorgeous home of Keiko’s favorite non-poodle, Slider.  We revisited a favorite hike that took way more time and energy than we remembered.  And we hung out with some dear friends around a backyard fire with wood-fired pizza and cocktails—the perfect Christmas! 

Since we’ve been back the Meltdown has been cookin:  a new show display designed, five new necklaces, several cuff and bangle bracelets, and some private work in the hopper at the moment.  I'm off in a moment to work on two more necklaces and have a local art show this weekend, weather permitting.

I just wanted to drop y’all a note to let you know that you are never far from my mind, even if my mind is boiling over with other stuff.