Women In-Spirit

1920's embroidery runner. Before the death of my godmother Masha Arms in 2005 I was able to fly to Massachusetts and spend a couple of days with her. Those days were precious to us both. Days spent talking until the early morning light, reminiscing, looking at art, sharing favorite books, and going through trunks. How we ever started opening the trunks I don't remember but so many treasures came tumbling out; her Mothers beautiful wood carvings including a lovely little paring knife that I swear I could still feel her energy coursing through, a hand woven rug by her Great Aunt-in-law Nellie Arms, Scandinavian linens and cut work, generation after generation of memories. Then she pulled out this linen runner that her mother Clara Maria (From) Eriksen had started way back in the 1920's.  runner with circles of flowers. What struck me at first was that the colors were still so bright, the blues so vibrant, and that the pattern was so obviously Art Deco with its...

Masha Ericksen Arms had a unique way of looking at life. She looked at life with the eye of an artist and the heart of an explorer and seeker. She was ahead of her time in many ways; pioneering photography as a career for women  in the 1930's; being an advocate for land conservation in the 1950's and even learning transcendental meditation in the 1970's and it was not a surprise to see her as an active and vital woman and artist well into her 90's. She was kind, generous of spirit, and always curious. A natural born teacher.    She was born Clara Harriet Ericksen Oct.4, 1908 in Fitchburg, MA. A direct descendant of Leif Ericksen. Her parents Andrew and Clara were Norwegian immigrants. Masha planned to become an art teacher and went to New York to study. She studied dance and became a model. Sometime in the 30's she picked up a Leica Model G 35mm camera and her first photo's were of vaudeville acts and circus performers. She started doing fashio...