The Private Collection

I have an art museum in my kitchen. It is disguised as a cantankerous over sized eyesore. If it wasn't for all of the artwork that it holds, I would have replaced it with a smaller unit months ago. Some of you may have guessed this is my refrigerator that came with the co-op. The last owner felt that a family of eight should be able to eat comfortably for a month without ever having to go shopping. I have two issues with this. First, he was one person and second there are two supermarkets less than a half mile up the road.

Originally the refrigerator was semi-tucked into my utility area, but since I had a new heater/air conditioner installed, it has been moved into the middle of the floor. Everyone who comes to my place asks, when I am going to find a spot for it? Fortunately, it is not so big as to obstruct the pathway through the kitchen, unfortunately it is too big to fit anywhere practical. Replacing it will have to wait until my kitchen goes through a major redesign next year.

I look at it this way, you wouldn't tear down the Louvre or MOMA just because they were in the way of something else and until I have to, the Frigidaire Museum of Budding Artist stays. I don't mind it so much, I like museums and being able to visit one every time I go into my kitchen is damn convenient. The exhibit consists of everything from sketches done in the car to home made Father's Day cards.

The works evoke feelings in me and give me insight to my daughters and how they were feeling when they created them. These snapshots of their emotions poured out onto paper in crayon, pencil, foam letters and ink, comfort me. I know as time goes on, less artwork will need to be displayed, but the artists still have a few more years of adding pieces to the current exhibit.

If an ugly refrigerator ruining the look of my kitchen is a sacrifice I have to make for my kids, so be it. It will not be the biggest, the first, or the last. So for now, the artwork is safe hiding behind it's magnets and surviving the opening and closing of the gallery door.