Friday, February 15, 2013

Ann's last cigarette


I had the pieces...all I had to do was put them together....
This 1930s Bakelite cigarette holder has been part of my stash for forever...
the skull a recent acquisition...


I wanted to use them in a piece but never thought of putting them together...
but yesterday I went to a funeral of a friend's mother, who, although
it was never said that she died of smoking, all the signs were there...
the cough, the oxygen tank, the raspy speech.

I thought of my mother...and her Camel unfiltered in the 50s,
then the more modern Salems...but my mom wised up and quit
before the damage set it...
still she bought the goods sold by advertising companies
and by the fact that in the 1920s to the 80s smoking was considered cool...
and suddenly I see a resurgence of smoking in films, photography and cool hipster bands.
But now that I think of it, nothing like what we had when I was a teen...The Rolling Stones,
The Beatles, The Animals...all my heroes and cigarettes were a big, no huge, part of their
looks and sex appeal...

So then this came together..

 My homage to Ann Zam...
A fine southern lady, a wonderful cook, conversationalist,
fellow gatherer of antiques, a zesty drinker and
a lover of life...rest in peace Ann.

19 comments:

Debra She Who Seeks said...

A thing of beauty from consequences which were not.

martinisfor2 said...

a beautiful piece to close a door to the terrible consequences of what was once thought of as cool......

Kath said...

Anne sounds like a fine gal, I would love to have known her xx

Jiorji said...

that skull is so great! i love it!

OldLady Of The Hills said...

What a WONDERFUL Piece that is...! I love that you found the way to put them together in one very Artistic piece, my dear....Lovely and poignant, too!

Numinosity said...

What a piece. Amazing when the pieces come together to tell a story. I love it.

Jackie said...

The piece is such a great conversation starter, the stories it could tell, amazing. Sorry your mom lost her friend, my mom was a smoker half her life but she quit one day. Just up and quit.

Lela said...

Bit of a morbid subject, albeit true. And as a whole, the piece is great!

Shel said...

Beautiful tribute!! Lovely words and awesome necklace. My dad smoked from the time he was about 11 years old until the day he passed at age 61 - it was definitely a sign of the times.

Anonymous said...

So glad I gave up the awful weed, years ago. Striking necklce

betweenreader said...

It's a retrato, and I love it. I remember seeing ads for a certain brand back when I was a kid, with the spokesperson a doctor in a white coat with stethoscope, implying that the product was good for the health. Here's to Ann and everyone who got taken in, including me, now free for 30 years! Beautiful work and thoughtfulness, xoxo.

La Petite Gallery said...

ANN SOUNDS GREAT. i AM ON MY 3RD TRY TO STOP SMOKING. i STOPPED TWICE FOR 6 AND 5 MONTHS, WITH CHANTIX. nOW i HAVE THE PATCH AND MY dAUGHTER AND i ARE STOPPING WITH THIS SMOKING. IT IS HARD.

YVONNE

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Cobalt Violet said...

Hugs to your mamma. So hard losing friends.
Those pieces were meant to be together. What a wonderful piece of jewelry art.

ChiPPy-SHaBBy said...

Helloooo Cynthia!*!*!
WOW ~ unbelievable how your "Jewelry Creation" all came about!!! Looks FaB... YES, we're getting BLASTED with S*N*O*W Right Now!!! I just know it will be beautiful in the morning...
Hugs - Jeanine Burkhardt

Butik Baju Muslim Murah said...
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La Petite Gallery said...

RIP Ann, I started smoking again and it is awfull to stop. Back on Chantix.. the patch couldn't help. I still smoked.
yvonne

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