What’s In A Maiden Name

George Roberts, owner of the Homewood Studios helped hang my show today, and to my surprise, he started with Fisher, my maiden name. I was never content to use it as a maiden name:  I retain it as part of my full last name. Fisher is the name that saw me through my mind-like-a-sponge  years, when math teachers told me it had to be this way, art teachers told me I could do it any way I wanted, and parents helped me believe that ‘as long as you’re happy’ was a worthy goal to strive for.

Still, seeing my name so large is embarrassing; it makes me feel like I’m supposed to be bigger than I am.

And, somewhere in the middle of signing 55 prints, I started to wonder who the heck I think I am.

But silently and secretly, I enjoyed seeing Fisher in the spot light, if only for a few minutes until “Goldstein” grabbed all the attention.

It was like seeing my name in the school choir program again. It is me; it is my family; my history and my rooting. It is the grounding that allowed this tree to grow big, wide, bold.

Thanks, Mom and Dad. I grew up happy. And this sign’s for you.