Born in the East, I was brought up wearing bobby socks, tweeds, wool and plenty of navy blue. My first exposure to art was really through the beautiful classical religious art portraying the saints, Mary, Jesus and Joseph.
In the early 60’s my family and I moved to Phoenix. Moving so far from the formality of the East was, to say the least, culture shock in many ways! Suddenly it was OK to slip into sandals…with no socks!! Tweeds and wool were unheard of in Arizona…and navy blue no longer was in the color palette. No more getting dressed up just to go to the A&P! “Anything went” in “Paradise”…swim suits, shorts and tops and sundresses were the most you wanted to be in! And color…the hot temperatures of the desert were the perfect excuse to wear the colors of citrus, mangos and papayas.
Perhaps the biggest surprise was the art…of course, you still found the traditional old masters’ works in the church, but outside the doors was a land very influenced by the proximity to Mexico and the heat of the desert. Bright colors and primitive folk art startled me into appreciating an entirely different look, not only in clothing, but also in art.
,,,to be continued…
