Picasso Smoke and My First Couch

This post is about memory. I like to name my creations. Sometimes it is a bit of a struggle; all my ideas seem contrived which does the work an injustice. With this choker, however, as soon as it was finished it, the title came into my mind immediately.

When I was in my early twenties, I moved out of my shared apartment into my very first home of my own. It was a bachelor apartment in an old building in downtown Ottawa. I set out one day to buy my first couch. Upon seeing a gray/blue velvet Bauhaus couch and loveseat at a furniture store I was hooked. No other furniture would do. It blew the budget but I had those pieces for many years.

What sealed the deal in my mind I am sure, was the name of the color, Picasso Smoke. Such a gorgeous juxtaposition of words... and exactly the color of the velvet ribbon in this choker. The overall dusky hues also evoked the name. Of all things to remember, so many (!) years later says a lot about memory. I know I have forgotten many details of my life so far; I have forgotten them so I cannot relate how many or why those thoughts have vanished. All I can speculate on is why I do remember what I do.

Picking out that couch was a strong signifier of who I was at the time. I shopped for it alone. Paid for it with my hard earned money from my paste-up artist job. It looked great in my apartment, my choice was the right one. Now that purchase is giving me one more pleasure, the name of my favorite new choker, Picasso Smoke.