The Museum of Amy

My sister's spirit is so alive!

My sister, Amy Allison Steele died last January. Of course I miss her mightily. We are currently staying at her house in Denver while we visit our daughter and family. Her husband is back east so we have the house to ourselves. As I wander through the house, her spirit is so alive for me. Her art is everywhere. She was a felt artist so there are so many unique pieces to admire.

There are felt shades for the lights that hang over the kitchen counter. She actually made one for me but we haven’t figured out how to set it up yet. When we finally get it together, it will look fabulous in my art studio.

There is this grid of felt tiles that I absolutely love.

She created felt sculptures of dancers that stand tall in the corner of the living room.

Amy was a potter earlier in her life as an artist and there are some of her pots around the house as well

There are lovely photographs throughout the house of her three wonderful children

There is the fabulous wallpaper from National Geographic covers that covers the bathroom wall. I never tire of looking at them all.

And there is art that they have collected

Andy, her husband, is a maker in his own right so much of the credit for the magic in the house goes to him. He is a woodworker and a kitchen chemist, boldly experimenting with flavors and food combinations. The kitchen cabinets are a treasure trove of spices and sauces. He left us notes in the refrigerator- “Microbiome” on the Sauerkraut and a chilled bottle of Chardonnay with a sign that said- “enjoy to alleviate holiday stress”. This is not your garden variety AirBnb.

I consider the way that Amy and Andy’s creations live on. They fill up the house with their spirit and their legacy. My preferred form of making art is theatre which is much more ephemeral. Perhaps I better lean into watercolor or collage to have art that lives on. Here’s to my fabulously creative and inspired sister. We will miss you this holiday.