“I call them functional art.” says BeBe as she demonstrates the adjustable straps on her custom apron—the one with the blue pinstripes and cowgirl appliques.
“That’s wild,” I say. “That’s exactly what I call my mosaic tables, coasters, and frames!”
Immediately, I invite her to join in on the gallery for July and August and she jumps on the chance to add BB’s Gold County Aprons to the mix.
She’s short, like me. It’s always unusual when I actually look at someone straight in the eye without looking up. With her constant deadpan expression, she reminds me a bit of Droopy, the cartoon dog from the seventies.
“You guys are laughing too much!” yells Joel from the lounge chair in the alleyway between the galleries.
We burst into even louder laughter. We’ve retreated to inside the gallery. The heat is unbearable and Katha loaned me a fan. Joel decided to hang out outside and read. Katha is talking to customers in her gallery—they’re trying on her knitted wraps. BeBe is telling me all about her experience as a GoGo girl in the Bay Area during the sixties and seventies.
“I just wore a little bikini and we’d dance on the platforms above the bar. I’d always notice Mr. Obey when he came in. He’d wear these suits, chartreuse or teal. He’d hit the dance floor. You couldn’t miss him.” she says.
Her full name is Barbara Obey. She uses BB for her business, but recently changed the spelling to BeBe. “As in ‘to be,” she says. “I’m finally learning how to just BE.”
I have an Aunt Be who changed her name from Almamona to Bea to Bee to Be for the exact same reason. Two women who never met, two decades and 3,000 miles apart, arriving at the same two letters.
BeBe and Mr. Obey had one kid together before they divorced and she moved from the Bay Area to Amador County where she now takes care of two grandkids with autism.
“Zoie has started drawing these little characters. They have such expressions.” says BeBe.
Zoie is thirteen. She’s tall and slender with a shock of curly black hair. I never got to see her eyes when she visited on a quiet Friday. She spent the start of her visit outside in a chair rocking and covering her ears. When I sat calmly across from her for awhile, she settled and turned her face to the sun, eyes closed.
“We’re leaving soon.” says BeBe. “I just wanted you to meet Mel.”
Zoie stands and tiptoes to the car.
“I’ll be right there.” says BeBe.
A few weeks later BeBe shows up with a tri-fold poster board covered in tiny drawings by Zoie. She’s even signed her name!
We have two more weekends at the gallery before the end of August and we’ll add Zoie’s work along a wall. Her first art showing.
“I have this children’s book I wrote when my half-sisters were born. I’ve always wanted to publish it, but never found anyone that would illustrate it. I wonder if that could be a project for Zoie?” I say.
“I don’t know if she’d understand it, but maybe.” says BeBe.
Can you start posting some of the artwork for those of us who are curious and might like to buy? Or is this an entirely analog project? Or can the two worlds overlap a little? BBBBBBB!!!! xo
What interesting people you meet!