I was deeply moved by a beautiful and unexpected gift that greeted me from my mailbox on Friday! Contained within a brown 8” x 5” envelop was a pair of lovely maple key silver earrings. I had forgotten all about the Manitoba maple keys that I had obtained from my back yard and had later mailed out to Monica H. O’Halloran Schut, in LaHave, Nova Scotia last year. Within the envelop, was an accompanying letter with the following quote from Monica:
“What I love about the process I follow in making these keys is that they come from the original keys which you sent me…a true thumb print of nature. No two keys are alike, including one side of the key to the other and for me, is where the deeper story lies.”
This is the point where I should back track and provide you with a little history of how these earring came to be. I had come to know Monica, as an engaging bright and energetic sculptor, from our involvement in an art and tourism committee that we both sat on in Ontario. In January 2017, Monica and her husband Dave had just moved from Ontario to a lovely little fishing village in Nova Scotia. They had hoped to renovate and open their new studio in time for the July 1st Canada 150 celebration. In anticipation, Monica decided to place a call out to all her friends across Canada, she was asking for maple key donations. It was her intention to celebrate “Canada’s natural beauty,” by casting metal keys from the impressions that were obtained from the samples that she received. These metal helicopters were to be incorporated into a larger Canada 150 sculptural piece.
Unfortunately, the Canada 150 opening did not unfold as was planned, due to unforeseen renovation difficulties and health issues. In spite of these difficulties, they have persevered! Monica and Dave are very close to finishing renovations on their studio and have plans to celebrate the opening with friends and neighbours in the near future. Monica still has in mind to create a larger sculpture that will contain 151 copper maple keys.
I have had an opportunity to go through Monica’s new website (although she indicates that it is still in the development stage), I was intrigued by the work that has made its way onto her web pages. I hope you will take the time to keep tabs on Monica and Dave’s progress, I know I will, here is the link to Monica’s website: www.hearttohand.ca.
I look forward to following Heart to Hand’s progress and I hope to visit their new studio one day in the near future!