Penelope's Apron
By Lise Melhorn-Boe
North Bay, Canada: Transformer Press, 1994. Edition of 60.

7 x 5" with four spreads. Made of sickly yellow handmade flax-linen paper with red rubber-stamped text and flowers augmenting the four simple pop-up aprons. Laid- in same paper wrapper with red ribbon tie.

A poignant story of thwarted creativity and conforming to parental expectations of how a good little girl should behave. It begins with the making of an apron from a yellow tea towel and red ribbon but as families and relationships go the apron becomes an item of irritation. The mother's anger becomes part of the "fabric" of the apron. So that finally Penelope puts it away - "I don't think I ever picked it up again."

Lise Melhorn-Boe: "Penelope Stewart is an artist who lives in Toronto. ... she graciously shared this story, having answered my questionnaire. I have always been touched and honored by the stories women share with me."
$85