Family heirlooms and other treasures are more than mere objects. They’re not old dead things. They capture memories, stories and the emotions of a lifetime. That’s what makes them precious. And fixing things fits right in with my motto: "Let's get rid of our throwaway society."
I have had many clients bring in any number of childhood treasures reminiscent of a time they wanted to keep alive.
In many cases, they wanted to pass them on to the next generation of family members because they knew the tenderness of memories.
A father and son project
As a teenager in the early 1980s, I made this stained-glass window with my father. It was a perfectly imperfect father-and-son project.
You see, my father and I purposely chose to make the slight imperfections. Dad and I didn’t need to make it pristine. We were learning together, creating a beautiful piece and enjoying the process.
Later, different family members enjoyed this heirloom as it travelled from Vancouver to Telkwa, B.C. and, unexpectedly, to my delight, back to me.
When it came back, I considered giving it a gentle restoration to care for the wood frame. I wouldn’t touch the glasswork because nothing had changed, not even the original intentional sag in the lead work.
Precious statues
People have sent me their treasures from Vancouver Island, the Kootenays and the Okanagan. They ship them over for repair and restoration, and they get them back intact with careful packing.
A statue of the Goddess Diana came to me in many broken pieces. This heirloom had been in my client's family for a long time, passed down from grandmother to mother. Now, the mother wanted to pass it on to her daughter.
This beauty was not meant for the garbage.
I have restored many statues over the years.
saving a perfect-sized patio table
Clients bring in many things that have been in their family for a long time.
This patio table was a perfect fit for my client’s elderly father, who enjoyed sitting outside in the summer. I fabricated new legs so that the father could still enjoy it. It was still a beautiful piece with a lovely faux marble top. Not something to throw away.
MOVERS BREAK things, unfortunately
Many precious items break during moves.
The owners of this marble-topped table brought it to me in 16 pieces. I wasn't sure if I could put it back together but they were willing to have me try. It was valuable to them, and a real beauty.
People have sent me their treasures from Vancouver Island, the Kootenays and the Okanagan. They ship them over for repair and restoration, and they get them back intact with careful packing.
Do you have an object or heirloom that you treasure?
Do you need advice on repairing or restoring something?
Send me a picture, and let's discuss it. Then, I can give you a sense of what I can do.
other precious and repaired items
