Memories of Oma

My memory of Oma is when we went to an Indian like museum when I was 7. First, we went to a big lodge/gift shop. Then we went to lots of little buildings where there were different things to look at and buy. There were items like animal pelts, necklaces, and much more. For every building Oma had a different candy, mint, or lollypop for me. Once I had finished sucking on the candy Oma had given me, we would go on to the next building. This will be a memory I will never forget!

Channing Bushman

 

I remember going on a trip to Southern California with mom. She was teaching a 3-day workshop as well as attending the fashion show at Bazaar Del Mundo in San Diego. This was the only time that I can recall that I have traveled alone with mom for an overnight event. I know that her main purpose for asking me was to have someone to drive her, since she didn’t like driving herself, and apparently there wasn’t a group of quilting friends that were attending both events on her time schedule. I was able to arrange for Tierney to be taken care of after school and off we went. During the drive down we listened to some humorous books on tape, but we also talked a lot and I learned some things about mom that I hadn’t known before – or at least hadn’t paid attention to previously.

When we arrived in San Diego we stayed at some woman’s home that was hosting us for a couple days. She had this quaint home at the top of a hill with a winding street. Mom kept commenting on my amazing driving skills and how grateful she was that she didn’t have to navigate the street. I don’t know that my skills were that amazing, but I am certain that she was very grateful not to be driving herself in that situation.

We attended the fashion show the next day and we sat in line outside the Plaza for at least an hour, but it could have been 2 or 3 in order to get good seats. I remember thinking that here was an entire group of people that wore clothing similar to moms. I didn’t realize until this adventure that the wearable art community was so vast. We were able to get front row seats for the fashion show, and again I was amazed that there were so many garments that were each a different expression of whimsy and individualism. I also remember that mom had an item in the fashion show - I think it was the coat with the lambs wool petals on it, but whatever it was, the reaction from the crowd was audible. Even among all the other wearable art in the show, hers was acknowledged as one with special character and originality.

After the fashion show we met with several different friends and acquaintances of moms, and shopped in the plaza for unique items to add to her next project. I remember going to a button and bead store where mom found some unique beads that she purchased for something that she was working on at the time. We also met with the man that dyed that fabric for the lace skirt that she made. He kept saying he would make something especially beautiful for her, and he did. She made the silk and lace outfit that was on the cover of "Threads", that she said in one of her fashion shows, "was the most beautiful garment I ever made". I am lucky to now have that garment to remember mom by.

After 2 days in San Diego, we traveled to Rancho Cucamonga for her 3-day workshop. Again we stayed with a host friend, and were treated like visiting royalty because mom had a reputation of being such a skilled artisan and teacher. I watched mom teach the workshop and it was fun to see her connect so personally with each of the women attending. They all thoroughly enjoyed the learning as well as the socializing with each other. It was fun to see mom in her element, teaching the skills that she loved so much.

The days that I spent with mom were interesting on several levels. I learned more about mom and why she loves what she does so much. I learned about the entire wearable art community and the interesting personalities that come from people who express themselves artistically. I also think it was the beginning of a different relationship that I developed with my mom as an adult instead of a child. We developed a mutual respect for each other that we didn't have before. Me for mom's artistic flair that shone even among artists, and mom realized that even though she always considered me to be her most conservative daughter (I was not as adventurous when it came to clothing), I wasn’t really as boring as she once thought.

Reaka Bushman