Loree Ovens

The Memory Box Series was inspired by the concept of a shoebox filled with trinkets and memorabilia of childhood delights. In childhood it is common to collect small toys and candy wrappers. As we grow older our collection may include comic books, photographs, ticket stubs and if lucky, love letters. These trinkets can produce a profound sentimental reflection of our past as individuals and as well as part of a collective memory.

The Memory Box Series celebrates this ritual by providing a place to store a few precious keepsakes. Over time the physical accumulation can reveal much about a person’s life. The front of each box has been rendered in a variety of techniques on Washi (handmade Japanese paper) and stitched on to wood. The box compartment is only revealed when the back is explored. In other words, these art pieces are equipped with storage!