Andy specializes in assemblage art, a form of mixed media. One of his favorite projects to work on is when customers approach him with a box of their sentimental family keepsakes. It seems like everyone has a bunch of odds and ends that are treasured, yet they don't know what exactly to do with them. I have a few storage bins that hold miscellaneous items from my childhood, teenage years, wedding, and early adulthood. I don't really want to display them all, but I don't want to part with them, either. Some items are special, some not so much. Yet they are all important enough that I hang onto them. Their value is in the memories or in what they symbolize. Do you have a storage container like that? I think most people do.

This was the case when Tom and Valerie contacted Andy three months ago. Their bag of keepsakes, which spanned many years and multiple generations, included:

foot and hand prints of both of their little girls (Sophie and Ella Kate)
license plates from the states they are from (Tennessee and Iowa)
a clock from a service award Tom's dad received from his employer (his dad is now deceased)
a medallion Tom's grandmother won in a 4th grade spelling bee in 1923
parts of their wedding program and invitation
a wine cork from the day they were engaged
a CD of songs that were special to them
a coaster of their family crest

As an artist, it can be intimidating to tackle a project like this. Once you start cutting and painting on keepsakes, there's no going back! Andy asked Tom and Valerie what size they wanted, what colors they preferred, and the general theme they envisioned. Only a few of the items they provided didn't get used, which Andy returned to them. Tom and Valerie were pleased with their finished assemblage art, and now they have a fun and unique way to display their family keepsakes. Surely this custom statement piece is a source of conversation when family and friends gather in their home.

Custom Art: Tom & Valerie