Sweater Suit Barbie

Sweater Suit Barbie

Not everything I touch turns out the way I envisioned it.  This is a prime example.  My friend and neighbour, Mary, bought me a brand new Barbie.  She liked it because it had long brown hair with a purple streak.  My friend and old neighbour, Katrine, contributed a cashmere sweater that had shrunk.  I found a scrap of gold lining and a matching bit of trim.  I had the doll, I had the materials, I had the concept and this was the result.  Sigh.

There was a Peanuts cartoon in the Saturday paper years ago.  Sally Brown had made a coat hanger sculpture and the teacher had given her a C for it.  Sally wondered how the teacher had decided a C was an appropriate mark.  Was the problem the quality of the coat hanger?  Was Sally to be penalized because her parents patronized a dry cleaner who used inferior hangers?  Was it the effort she had put into the work?  In that case the mark was unfair for Sally had tried as hard as she could.  Was it that Sally had in some way not fulfilled all the requirements of the assignment?  In that case should the fault not be shared with the teacher who had failed to communicate clearly?  Perhaps the teacher did not understand the art work itself.  Many artists are undervalued during their lifetimes.  In the face of Sally's arguments the teacher conceded and gave Sally an A.

In this instance, I deserve the C.