I was absolutely thrilled when a viewer to my Facebook page Denise’s Boxes / Denise McDowell Art contacted me during the week.
A lady by the name of Lana commented that she had actually met the assemblage artist Joseph Cornell many years ago, and not only that, he had given her one of his boxes as a present. Now, as most of you know, I am a huge admirer of this particular artist and have been inspired to create box assemblage pieces through his work.
To actually be able to ‘meet’ someone who spoke to him and received a gift from him is absolutely fascinating to me. Lana and I exchanged some messages and she has given me permission to tell her story on my blog and has provided me with some photographs to share.
As a 16 year old working in a store on Main Street, Flushing, Queens, NY, Lana lived only a few miles from Joseph Cornell. The store sold fabric and the artist would come in every now and then to buy fabric. She remembers him as ‘very quiet and polite’. He also asked if she and another girl would work part time cleaning his home – Lana says that unfortunately her mother would not give her permission but the other girl did work for him for a time. In her own words she says, “What a lost opportunity, can you imagine I would have been able to see inside his home and his unfinished works”. I agree!
Joseph Cornell presented Lana with a tiny box assemblage which she has treasured since 1966 and which shows on one side an image of a child, possibly a Medici print which have featured in many of his boxes. On the other side of the box is a simple stamp showing a seahorse. The box is papered inside and you can plainly see Cornell’s handwriting where he has dedicated and signed the artwork personally to Lana. Oh my goodness, how excited I was to see these photographs!
I really am honoured that Lana contacted me and feel that this is a very important find not only for Cornell followers but the world of art in general. I hope you get as much pleasure from looking at this tiny treasure as I (and Lana!) have had.
Denise's Boxes 