Thursday, April 29, 2010

SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION



I noticed a challenge, on fellow Canadian, HostessOfTheHumbleBungalow's blog. The challenge was to post the sixth image you added to your blog, and explain your reasons for including this photo.

This photo is Oleg Shyshkin, an extraordinarily, talented, wrought iron artisan. His web page can be viewed at wroughtironart.net

I posted the photo, because Oleg has been crafting the stairs, railings, and gate for the house we've been building, and coincidentally, he's been installing the railings this week.

My life has always been full of interesting coincidences, and connections, and the moment I walked into Oleg's iron studio, I was to encounter, one more.

Noticing a glass, and iron, sink, I recognised the signature of the glass artist.
I have a sink, by the same glass artist; who founded Glasstronix, in one of my bathrooms, in Florida.
I bought the sink in Calgary, when we lived there, and I was sourcing plumbing fixtures for our Florida build.
The owner of a bath store in Calgary, thought I might be interested in a sink he had in his warehouse. Having already stored it for a few years, he offered it to me at a very good price.
As soon as I saw it, I knew it was perfect, and bought it on the spot, before he changed his mind about selling it so low. He also found a mirror, (I still haven't hung) that was part of the suite, and threw it in for free!
I loaded it all in our plane, and hauled my lucky find to Florida.

When I mentioned to Oleg, that I also have a sink by Glasstronix; he told me the artist was his best friend, and was the only glass artist to have, so successfully fused metal to glass, and create these beautiful sinks. Sadly, his friend had recently drowned, while on a fishing trip.

The sink Oleg has in his showroom, as is, his friend, irreplaceable.

I can't put into words, feelings I have when I think about the coincidence of me, just happening to find the work, of two best friends; now in two of my houses, in two countries. I have set aside a powder room, in our new house, where I will install my glass sink, when the day comes, that we sell our Florida home.
It seems more than just coincidence, that these two friends, will someday be together again.

A friend took a photo of my sink, just after we finished the house, and I can't believe I never bothered to take pictures of it? I will, for sure, the next time I'm in Florida.
The sink is glass, and copper, and I already had the copper mirror, from our house in Sedona Arizona, so it all worked.

4 comments:

hostess of the humble bungalow said...

Thank you for responding to the challenge...and what a serendiptitous find but with a sad side too. The sink is a work of art.
I am interested that you have lived in so many different homes and locations...did you design and build them all., do you do this for a hobby?

No Sacrifice Bags said...

Hi Hostess of THB, We lived in Calgary for two years; although we still had the farm here in Ontario.

We had a vacation home in Sedona Arizona, and then decided to try Florida.
I do feel as though we're always building,moving, or decorating; but this is only the second house we've built from the ground up.

I try to keep within the same colour families, so that if something doesn't work in one house, it probably will work in another.

I do wake up in the middle of the night, sometimes, and it takes me a minute to remember where I am. lol.

Maggie Alderson said...

Hello Your Grace
Thanks for your lovely comment on my blog, with regard to my posting about Bringing Home the Birkin. You are clearly one of life's peacemakers.

Not at all offended you haven't heard of me, as I'm an Anglo-Australian writer and don't have any profile in the US or Canada.

Your house is gorgeous - and nice handbags too!

Hope you enjoy my book. It's fiction and somewhat 'racey' in parts.

best

Maggie x

No Sacrifice Bags said...

Thanks Maggie, I can't wait to read your novel, Handbag Heaven! A little 'racy' is fine by me. I'm a huge fan of Jackie Susann. Valley Of The Dolls, was the first racy novel I ever read, whilst, still in elementary school.
I was lucky to have, a very 'mod' British aunt, who let me read it. She also loaned me 'The Godfather', so I was certainly, off to the races, on racy.