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Helena's symbol I stitched on
a gift given to her |
Amy Johnson Crow has a 52 Ancestors Week blog challenge which I have decided to give a try for the second year. The prompt for week # 24 is Artistic.
There is a genetic artistic gene floating around in the Smith/Hiser gene pool. I have blogged about my two sons, Aric and Garrett, paternal grandsons, of Helena and one of her Tate/Hess cousins, Harold Hess Tate. Helena's brother, Gilbert Smith, was also an artist and brother, Howard Smith, was artistically creative, crafting all the set pieces around his magnificent train display. A nephew, Fred Bowman, was employed as an illustrator-designer for screen printer sportswear. He has always painted and sketched. Even her son and my husband, Ted Hiser, does very creative doodles on any available piece of paper that happens to be in front of him while he is on the phone or thinking about a project.
Helena Mae Smith, the daughter of Grover Cleveland Smith and Mildred Claudene Tate, was born on March 12, 1922 in Tiffin, Seneca County, Ohio. On November 9, 1942, she married her high school sweetheart, Clarence Harold Hiser, in Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin where he was stationed with the United States Army before being shipped overseas.
I am certain that Helena's artistic activity did not begin with her marriage to Clarence; however, when cleaning out her final residence in Tiffin, Ohio, I did not find any art from a previous time. There was plenty from about the 1950's and forward. Plus I saved numerous pieces she crafted for my sons when they were young.
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| Sketch of Clarence a year after his death |
Helena's talents were varied. She was a sketch artist and often finished her pieces with oils or acrylics.
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Circa 1950-51
My husband's outfit |
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| Cape for moi 1972 |
Her seamstress abilities were legendary. She made clothes for all of us. Dresses, skirts, men's suits, pants, cute outfits for all of her grandchildren. I was especially appreciative of the clothes she sent to me when Ted and I were "poor graduate students" in Boston in the early 1970's. 😊
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| Note her HH in a heart symbol |
Her handiwork ranged from quilting, crocheting and applique. There were new baby bibs for every occasion.
Halloween costumes. The Native American costume even had embroidery on it. Luke Skywalker's name embroidered on the cape and matching fabric finishing on the inside top.
Often Helena would use plain paper to wrap a gift and hand draw a decoration on top. I am happy I saved one of them. 💖
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| Cousin Roberta shared this picture |
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Clarence made these as gifts.
A poinsettia plant fits nicely inside |
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I guess I could have found a better display place. 😉
This was an afternoon project
Clarence did with his grandsons.
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Later, with Clarence, they handcrafted wooden pieces. Helena would make the pattern and Clarence would cut and saw the wood and piece it all together. Helena would finish each piece with hand painted decorations. We were not the only recipients of these treasures. Helena's niece sent me a photo of a stool she received as a gift.
This has been a fun blog, looking back over fifty six years of being a Hiser and honoring the extraordinary artistic work of my in-laws. I may be considered a "pack rat"; but it comes in handy when blogging. 😁
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