Josh is in the House
A few days after my son Josh’s UNC BFA Thesis show, the culmination of 4 months of intensive labor of making pots and bricks for a massive wall installation, his car was stolen. His car being stolen was the event that caused me to realize (and mention in an earlier post) that when someone lives large, they also cast a large shadow. The above is a shot of the front seat of my husband Joe’s truck, evidence that Josh was home for Christmas and borrowing Joe’s truck. The Cheez-its are the biggest clue – everyone who knows Josh knows he love Cheez-its – but the hat, pottery mug, CDs, fortune cookies, Yuengling beer (unopened), and Floyd phone book are also signs that Josh was in the house, in operating mode.
Josh’s car was found on the same day that it was stolen, but it no longer worked and some valuable items had been stolen from it. Because his mechanic was on Christmas break and could not work on the car, Josh arranged for a ride with a friend so that he could be home for Christmas. After getting new brakes put in and cleaning out a few old mouse nests, we presented Josh with our old farm truck, probably the largest Christmas present he’s ever gotten. It’s not the most reliable transportation, but it got him home and a truck will come in handy for building a kiln and a house, next up on Josh’s agenda.
Before: This is Josh at about 4 years old in our home in Tomball, Texas, showing off his building construction. The blocks were wood remnants from a house site Josh’s father was working at that I collected and sanded for Josh to play with.
After: The focal point of Josh’s BFA Thesis Show, “Building Community” was a brick wall installation (pictured behind the jumbled construction). The bricks were hand made by Josh with wild dug clay and each was stamped with the word INDIVIDUAL, symbolizing the strength that each has when bonded together as a whole. The picture is of Josh beside the interactive compliment to the wall, a cube of bricks stamped with the word COMMUNITY on them. The COMMUNITY bricks were available for people to move around and take home (the photo is of the final shape the cube of bricks took). When Josh was in Floyd for Christmas, he presented a slide show for the Floyd community at the Jacksonville Center on his adventures with wild clay, the BFA Thesis Show, and how growing up in Floyd has affected his art. An account of this exciting and unusual evening is coming up later in the program…
December 29th, 2006 12:41 pm
Well as far as Josh and the Cheez-Its….I can truly relate. When I was his age it was also my favorite little pick-me-up snack, sometimes breakfast, often lunch, but seldom supper.
But as I have now grown into an elderly gentlemen with some measure of sophistication and a successful career behind me….its Pepperidge Farm Goldfish….which on occasion provides me with a little pick-me-up snack, sometimes breakfast, often lunch, and although never supper….sometimes desert after supper.
December 29th, 2006 12:50 pm
Looks like you have a great son there! Smart and good looking! Congrats!
I was sent by Michele today but will be back on my own!
December 29th, 2006 12:50 pm
It looks like Josh ‘lives’ in his vehicle (or whose ever vehicle he is driving at the time)! I admit I am guilty of that also – there are probably cheese-its under my car seat as we speak…
Once again, you must be very proud of your son, his accomplishments, his artistry, his sense of community. He seems very deserving of the large present, and I am sure will put it to good use.
December 29th, 2006 12:51 pm
Hi Alan! Your comment made me laugh. Goldfish was more for my younger son, by then Josh was thoroughly hooked on the Cheez-its. Of cours I enable him, always buying a box whenever he comes home now.
This post about Josh’s car being stolen makes me want to say CHEEZ or JEEZ… or GEE WHIZ or some such thing.
Susan, you should see my car. I store everything from mascara to a blanket and pillow in it just in case!
December 29th, 2006 12:59 pm
The building blocks/bricks photos gave me goosebumps. Child is father to the man or something like that.
December 29th, 2006 2:38 pm
You must be so proud of Josh, Colleen. I’m sure he’s inherited a lot of his creativity from you.
Hope you have all you wish for in the New Year.
December 29th, 2006 3:37 pm
Congratulations to your son on his MFA (now tell him to clearn out the car seat!) 🙂 His project sounds interesting.
December 29th, 2006 4:07 pm
~~ Too familiar with the boxes of cheeseits ~~
2 years ago The Husband & I were on the road in the tractor-trailer, and got a free (!) large container/jar of “Party Mix” — Somewhere over 30 ounces of cheese-it type crackers, pretzels…little snackie-things…we munched on that till we were nearly cross-eyed. Can’t look at one of those containers without feeling somewhat ill…
lauri
December 29th, 2006 5:42 pm
Josh certainly is creative….and from the looks of the younger photo, it was always in his genes. I can see why you’re so proud of him. And how nice he made it home for Christmas…and even nicer that he got a mode of transportation. Sounds like your Christmas was great.
December 29th, 2006 6:23 pm
He’s a sweetie, both the kid and adult!
Too bad about the car. That’s the 2nd theft I’ve heard today!
December 29th, 2006 6:46 pm
How neat that you have almost the same pose all these years later…he was so cute and sweet looking. I’m sure sometimes it is hard to believe he is all grown up now!
That was very nice of you and Joe to fix up the truck and give it to him….it looks like it is in great shape and I am sure Josh was very appreciative. Josh seems like quite an interesting dude!
December 30th, 2006 9:08 am
lol. Nice juxtaposition of photos. Glad he got a way home for Christmas.
December 30th, 2006 10:30 pm
My oldest sons had blocks exactly like that. This Christmas when I asked my Josh what was the best present he ever got, he named those blocks.
December 30th, 2006 11:24 pm
Isn’t it always nice just to have them home, no matter how they get here or how messy things are while they are here. Happy New Year!
December 31st, 2006 6:34 pm
What great pictures, Colleen. I would love to see his show; he is very talented.
Happy New Year to you and Joe.
January 16th, 2007 5:32 pm
my friend had his car stolen in asheville a couple of years ago. what was funny about it, is that another friend saw it at a skate park a couple of weeks later, hot-wired it, and stole it back!!!!