Here’s a project I did in 2001-2002 that I had forgotten about. Now, here in 2022-2023, I will take a trip down memory lane and show it to you, once each month.
Why this schedule? Because it is a calendar. For 2003.
I made three of these – one for my son, one for my parents, and one for my husband. It’s the last one that I am showing to you. They were all alike except for the covers.
I hoped this calendar could be a small record of a certain time in our family. I do not know if my son still has his version, and my parents now are dead and their things scattered and gone, but here is the one we still have at our house, a voice speaking up again from the past.
If you want to know more about this calendar, look here.
I can’t find the collage image I used for this month in my archives. I see from the calendar it’s called “October Afternoon” and I think it was 11″ x 14″. I do remember the scene very well. It was the parking lot back side view of some buildings in Jenkintown, PA, near my house. Not long after this picture was made the block was taken down and the area rebuilt with a more modern array of stores plus a small park.
So, no picture this month. Just the calendar!
Happy October!
As to the notes, they are all pretty self-explanatory, except for #4. At the time, I did a lot of knitting and I made all my own sweaters plus plenty of items for family and friends. And maybe #7 needs a note. At this time part of our yard was seeded with wildflowers.
To compensate for the missing October image, here is another one with an October theme. It’s called “October Scene”.
Claudia McGill and Her Art World 
The art work is lovely. I very much like the idea of a wildflower garden. Since I am brown-thumbed, I only ever experience success with robust plants that essentially take care of themselves.
A wildflower garden is pretty easy, if you prepare the site first (you can’t just stop mowing). But with little effort, it is a really nice look and great for birds and animals, not to mention less mowing.
Your collage work is remarkable.
Thank you. I really learned a lot about art during my collage years, and it was fun to depict real scenes like these. I find myself inching back in that direction again these days. And of course my drawing and composition skills were improved, and that has carried over into how much enjoyment I get from sketching these days.
What an engaging project and how interesting to have a record of a whole year both with images and text that lists ‘what to expect/do’ for each month. I couldn’t agree more with your sentiment, #9, October is too early for anything Christmassy except perhaps making a Christmas pudding if you do that sort of thing. In the intervening 20 years have you changed your views on Christmas wrapping paper purchases in October?
Thank you. And yes, I do still think it is too soon for Xmas wrapping paper no matter how cheap! Though this year, I am consciously trying to think of what artwork I would like to use for my Xmas card (I usually get custom ones made with something I’ve created as the image) because I usually wait until too late and it stresses me.