Unfinished Carvings

Characters: Evie and Me (Narrator, Child in background, and me at a resolution point as a teenager)

Setting- At a small farm in the village of Waite Hill, Ohio. There sits an art studio separate from our farm house that was once used by my Grandmother Evie and me. The studio is filled with the saw tables, stools, and wood carving tools my Grandmother often used to create her art. Inside, my Grandmother Evie is seen on her stool busily cutting away at the wooden tortoise that would soon comfort me as I grew older. The tortoise was created out of my Grandmother’s passion for reading a children’s book called “Toby The Tortoise” to me each night before I went to bed. On stage, my grandmother and I will be carving together while in the background, the narrator at stage left will read a passage from the book. Here is what I imagine the scene to look like:

Narrator (me as a child): Shavings of wood fall gently and slowly to the floor as our knives in simultaneous motion cut the edges of our sculptures. I eagerly try to saw the wood I am carving, but as a seven year-old child, find much difficulty in doing so. I turn to my Grandmother Evie, eyeing the passion she puts into the art she creates. At the same time, I wonder if I could carve an amazing piece of art too, perhaps a blue dolphin. Not wanting to temper my enthusiasm, yet recognizing my limited skills, my grandmother gently encourages me to carve simple pieces first. Only months later am I ready to begin carving a dolphin.

Scene shifts- Years later I face the loss of my Grandmother Evie

Narrator (Fifth grader): I walk into an empty hallway outside my fifth grade class, approaching the door that, up until now, I have always entered with a smiling face. This time I feel differently. It is Valentine’s Day and I discover a class full of joyful fifth graders. The walls are decorated in red and pink, colors that warm our hearts. My classmates are laughing and playing while I stand alone, noticing how much a holiday impacts our lives. Too bad the holiday has not made me cheerful; my grandmother died the day before. I don’t think anything or anyone except my grandmother can make me happy. My teacher notices my sadness and walks over slowly. Giving me a hug, she is the only one who really feels empathy for me. The rest of the day continues slowly, almost never ending.

Narrator (as a junior in high school) - An unpainted dolphin lies on the shelf of a dusty cabinet, hidden behind furniture and equipment once used quite often. Remnants of carvings are scattered on tables and shelves. Spider webs hang low from the ceiling, almost shielding the light. I wipe the table with my finger, collecting dust and dirt. The light from the sun tries to shine through the window, but the old glass window resists, creating a dark and lonesome aura. I open the dusty cabinet, carefully removing the dolphin from its shelf. I sit down at the table, eager to paint my unfinished dolphin.

Reaching a resolution-(Me Speaking): This studio I visit is not just a room to use, but a sanctuary, a sanctuary for my sadness and a place gleaming with my grandmother’s memories, her laughter, and her smiles that could make anyone happy. Ever since kindergarten, my grandmother encouraged me to explore art and nature. On weekends, I sat with her in the studio while she carved elaborate birds. One day, my grandmother gave me a turtle she had carved for me. Today, the turtle, Toby, sits with me as well as the story book from which he was created. Everywhere I find grandmother’s presence. My resolution in life is not to dwell on her passing away, but continue what finding happiness in what we both shared. I create art in memory of my grandmother. She was not a grandmother but someone who influenced me to find who I am today.

(Gazing at the dusty shelves and unfinished carvings, I reach down and pick up the carving tools, eager to finish what my grandmother had started.)

Narrator: As we grow older we find that much of what we had in the past influences who we become in the future. The art I create will always bring me back to my childhood. In the future I’ll cross the threshold into the studio with more passion than ever before, creating all that connects me to my past. Every child grows to love one aspect of life. My love for art will always remain with me.

The End