DJ Hall and Diana Martin
We all enjoyed an art-inspired evening at Peter Blake’s Gallery in Laguna Beach on 10/22. DJ Hall and I talked about the table. I described it as a personal timeline of my life, seeing the table more than a place to eat. DJ showed her slides and commented on how the table served as a focal point for organizing her paintings. A jam-packed room and good discussion made this a special evening.
Here are my thoughts about the table:
The dining table isn’t just a symbol of a place to eat. It represents a personal time line…appealing more to emotions than to the food. We remember the earliest tables from growing up, starting with a high chair and then when in grade school. I am sure we can all think about the plastic looking table clothes, formica tops or place mats as well as the leatherette chairs. These are memorable not because they are so stylish retor, but because it was what we simply had. Important occasions were celebrated in the dining room with a white tablecloth. We had a huge mahogany table with fancy carved legs. At holiday time, as kids, we found ourselves relegated to a card table known as the “kids table.” We’ve all been there.
That’s the thing about a dining table: like symbols in popular culture, it can take many forms. The table is more than just a table. It reflects who we are and how we live. It’s the place we break bread, convene with family and friends, celebrate a holiday, toast life’s most important, as well as most private moments. The table is filled with memories of the past and those to be written in the future.
As one invents one’s own style by going from the useful to the fanciful, home becomes a daily stage where pleasure and beauty stand as its only requirements. It’s a blank canvas inviting your personal expression and creativity.
