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Sarah Z Short

The stories Doris left behind

Published 7 days ago • 1 min read

Sarah Z Short

Driftway Studio

Hello Reader,

Have I ever told you about Doris?

A few years ago, my son and I went to an estate sale and found an entire box of stories. Some were written in ledger books, but most were on the backs of letters, scrap paper, and advertisements. Doris was thrifty — she repurposed every piece of paper for her writing. As far as I can tell, only one story was ever published. But she did find success as an artist, creating paper silhouettes. My greatest regret is that I didn't buy one. I remember seeing a few at the sale.

If I hadn't taken that box home, it would likely have ended up in a dumpster. Instead, it came to another artist: one who treasures what Doris made.

In With Light, I used pages from one of her ledger books, the ones where she wrote poetry. I'm protective of my source material, and I abstract and cover nearly all the words — I know I wouldn't want my own writing "published" on someone else's artwork. But I still want her handwriting to be seen, so I left a fragment visible

There's a lifetime of material in that box, thanks to Doris and her creativity. I hope to keep sharing her story through my art.

Warmly,

Sarah

James Trail Driftway, West Kingston, RI 02892
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Sarah Z Short

I'm an abstract artist using vintage paper and letterpress printing for contemporary collage art. I teach online and in-person collage workshops.

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