It is said that artistic talent
is inherited, and I believe this is true. On both
sides of my family, there were artists. My mother's
father, Garnet Ross Cousins, was a largely
self-taught commercial artist from Toronto, Canada,
who moved his family to Detroit, Michigan, to do
advertising art. He illustrated the latest car models
(cadillacs, pontiacs, oldsmobiles, etc.) for magazine
and newspaper ads, a demanding skill that has since
been replaced by photography. I never met my grandpa
Cousins because he died of a cerebral hemorrhage when
my mother was only fourteen years old. When my
parents began to break up our family home in the late
1970's, I received grandpa Cousins' sketchbook as an
inheritance. This sketchbook dates from 1910, and I
have recently had it digitally recorded for personal
as well as historical purposes. You are welcomed to
view my grandfather's sketchbook here
My
step-uncle, Beverly Ross Cousins, followed in his
father's footsteps as a commercial artist. Uncle Ross
was self-taught and continued his father's artistic
tradition of illustrating new model automobiles for
newspaper and magazine ads. Uncle Ross was a
temperamental man who customarily did not like being
disturbed, especially while working. Nevertheless, in
later years I did have the privilege of watching him
work in his basement studio. Lodged in a comfy chair,
leaning over his small drafting tabke, he would draw,
paint, and airbrush an automobile into life. His only
reference was a small, colored slide that was taped
to his magnifying light. Watching him work convinced
me that this was not the kind of art I wanted to
pursue.
My
mother, Minnie Louisa; Cousins Town, was a talented
artist, also; but because of her father's early
death, she was forced to enter the work place.
Instead of attending art school as she had planned,
my mother took a job as a seamstress. During WWII she
made parachutes. After the war ended, mother
continued to perfect her art as a seamstress,
providing custom alterations and millinery work for
wealthy clients, including many car executives' wives
like Mrs. Dodge. Mother became expert in her work.
After marrying, she transfered her sewing skills for
the needs of her family. She made all our clothes
(hand-knit sweaters, socks, hats, mittens, and gloves
included), neckties for my dad, draperies,
bedspreads, and upholstery for the family furniture.
She also recycled old clothes and turned them into
new ones. Mom had the inate ability to create without
a pattern. She could look at something once and then
go home and make it. With a doubt, she possessed
talent beyond her knowledge or recognition. Mother
was faithful to teach us children (including my
brother) how to sew, knit, crochet, and embroider.
Sadly, her many pencil drawings from high school were
thoughtlessly tossed away during one of our family
moves. Nevertheless, I inherited the one and only
painting Mom did later in life.
It can be viewed here.
My
paternal grandmother, Mabel Patterson Town, was an
art teacher. She used her talents to teach young
people how to draw and paint. Though she was not what
I consider exceptionally talented, she enjoyed her
art and blessed others with it. I especially remember
several collages that Grandma made. They decorated
the walls of the Town cottage in Port Lambton,
Canada. She liked to combine sea shells and fan
corals on a painted background, framing them in a
shadow-box style. Her decorative approach was
effective, especially as decorations for a summer
cottage.
Though
I have three siblings, I am the only child in my
family who pursued art as a career. Both my sisters
are artistic but not in a professional sense. They
sew and enjoy the decorative arts. As a teenager, my
older sister took painting lessons and did remarkably
well. Though she exhibited talent, she chose to
pursue a career in nursing.
