‘Helioamphora Two’ by Sharon BladholmMy last front page post on A Day of Peace is highly personal. Anne of Carversville began in June 2007 as a very simple journal, one triggered by my sitting outside in Carversville, hearing the church bells on Sunday morning, while reading Angelina Jolie’s Esquire interview about civic responsibilities.

Square Peg | Round Hole

Anyone who is a regular reader knows that I am artistic, sensual, global, passionate activist on many issues. Growing up in my small town in Minnesota, I was a square peg in a round hole.

My mom swore they switched babies on her at the hospital. However did she get this handful of a daughter!

My strong entrepreneurial drive fits our successful family mold, but not the rest of the package. Simply stated, I was the odd person out in my family and remain that person today.

Bladholms left to right: Ann (wife & mom), twins Glen and Linda, Sharon, John and Eric. Sketches were done by John Bladhom when each of his children were young.

Bladholm 5 | A Family of Artists

A little over a month ago, my dear cousin Jo — who I regard as more of a sister — and her husband Les picked up my mother in Dubuque, Iowa and drove to Chicago for an art opening. My maternal grandfather was Swedish, last name Bladholm. 

They were attending a show at the Swedish Art Museum Bladholm 5: A Family of Artists, running January 14-March 13, 2011.

My first trip to a big city came at age 13 or so, when Jo and I packed up our suitcases and headed off to Chicago with our great aunt Grace. We stayed with the now-deceased grandparents and parents of the Bladholm 5.

That week in Chicago was one of the best of my life, leaving me consumed with the culture and elegance of the Bladholms.  There was such an inspiring, engaged, culturally and politically-aware vibe in their family life — one I wanted to transport home to Minnesota.

Jo and I were just wide-eyed girls at the table — with no understanding of art and ideas — but we sat taller and acted smarter around the Bladholms.

Neither of us wanted to leave Chicago and the family magic of Skokie. Those feelings were a long-bured memory that crept into my mind in quiet moments, until I opened Jo’s package of cards and her thoughts about meeting Bladholm 5: A Family of Artists.

The Emotional Roof Falls on Anne’s Head

It is very difficult for me to write these words and I haven’t been able to articulate a journal post on these Bladholm creatures for several weeks. Besides the obvious reality that the art show will be over in Chicago on March 13th, I haven’t found the right spot at AOC for the Bladholm 5.

They are too special to be just a post on the news page, sandwiched between Victoria’s Secret lingerie and the Paris designer shows. They fit fine in several other spots of the website, but not Les Artistes, which is going strictly sensual moving forward.

Perhaps to be attached to me is to be suddenly homeless, vagabond that I can be. Then again, perhaps it was worth waiting for this special spot in which to talk about the Bladholm 5.

In the Company of Artists

Today, when we are celebrating the Facebook dream of one young man for A Day of Peace and I just posted JR’s TED Prize video on global street art, I realize that this is the spot for the Bladholm 5.