Series 0002.06 - Beth Sheehan, Collector

The sub-series consists of a story and photographs of wood samples collected by Beth in the local area and on travels. In 1954 her husband Everett gave her a wooden Valentine he made while camped on the dessert in Arizona. She thought it so lovely that together they made more. Everett made boards approximately 1/4 inch thick with a band saw. Beth traced heart shapes on the boards then cut them out with a coping saw. She filed and sanded them meticulously, making them into three-dimensional hearts. Oiling brought out the natural beauty and grain of the wood. On the back of each heart was noted the name of the wood, where it was from, the year, and in some cases, who gave it to her. She didn't make duplicates. She also made pictures of polished wood and some wooden jewellry. Athritis in 1985 made it too difficult to hold and work on the small pieces, and no more were made, though many pieces had been prepared.