"Band of Bags"

the tote that holds them:

I've never been to Dinkel's. however I ordered from them for my parents. one of the gifts included this tote bag. my parents told me they had no use for it & gave it to me. it immediately became a favorite. I carried it around town. & since its dark green matchd my roll-on it joind me on years of travels to countless cities. when I got to Palm Springs I felt it no longer fit & put it in a drawer -- until I decided its forever home was as container in this piece.

the bags:

Silver Threads was a store next to Captain Brady's & across the street from the original Kent State University Library (now the fashion museum). I think this small bag dates from early to mid 1970s.

I was in Venice at the very end of 1983 with David Meredith & others. an admirer bought me a black silk Iparalleli scarf at La Couple. it remaind in this bag for 40 years.

while in Budapest (again with Meredith) in may of 1985 I bought several bags of paprika. the spice was in plastic bags which were then placed in these attractive cloth ones.

for Valentines Day 1989 my partner gave me a gift in this bag showing Judy Garland wearing the ruby red slippers.

legendary Santa Fe artist Bernique Longley made drawings on both sides of this bag. if memory serves it containd a Valentine gift in 1996.

in may of 2002 I took a bus trip to Marfa sponsored by Site Santa Fe. my travel buddies included philanthropist Hope Aldrich Rockefeller & textile artist James Koehler. we stayd at Hotel Limpia. while there I bought a jar of peach spread which was in this bag. that vessel is now half of my piece "2 Jars." 

in june of 2002 I attended Kennedy Center's Sondheim Celebration. this bag held my souvenirs -- a mug & several pens (all with the same illustration).

on a flight to Maui in may of 2004 I was given this little bag. I have no memory of what was in it but have kept it waiting to put it in an art piece.

I bought gala apples from Mrs. Grobe herself in sept of 2011. Grobe Fruit Farm is an Elyria tradition.

the first piece of art I bought after moving to Palm Springs in may of 2016 was a small drawing by Tod Bailey at Ted Casablanca. gallery owner Bruce Bibby put the work in this bag.

on visits to Palm Springs I usually stoppd at See's Candies on La Plaza. so it was a natural place to go after moving. this bag is circa 2017.

in sept of 2021 I lunchd at Norma's with Sheryl Berk (aka Wendy Wonder). following our meal she drew me in The Parker's lobby on a bag from the restaurant. 

in mar of 2022 I purchasd a small work by Nikki Verbitsky from Artize Gallery in Backstreet Art District & it was nestled in this bag.

for my 80th birthday Gary Sielaff & I did a road trip. the first nite we stayd at Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo where we got birthday cake from the bakery. it came with this bag which containd a pair of pink napkins which I later put in my art books.