Up Close and Personal with Lillian Meiggs

On the way to workout room? Be sure to take some time to visit the beautiful photographs taken by Lillian Meiggs. She likes to use her ipad to get very close to the beautiful flora in our area. That’s why she titled her exhibit Up Close and Personal. The “up close” is clear, but the “personal” is the direct way this lady approaches her craft. And this craft is not limited to photography.

We visited her apartment to get to know her a little better.

Sunny Side of the Building

You can’t help but notice the gorgeous plants growing in the windows on the “sunny side of the building.” Her view is of the woods and she has bird feeders and a garden just outside her window. She saw a bear out there one day and tried to chase it down to take a picture, but didn’t quite make it in time. Her housekeeper wasn’t nearly as excited about the wildlife as Lillian was. She elected to stay inside!

Handmade

Everywhere you look you’ll find something made by the capable hands of Lillian Meiggs. Making crafts has been a part of her life since she was a child. She grew up in Rhode Island and spent 3 weeks summer vacation at a campground (log cabin) in Maine. Every year she made some craft items and sold her wares to the campers – many of whom returned at the same time each summer.

When she and her husband built a new home in 1971 in Wixom, Michigan, she decided she’d make decoupage on wood to decorate her kitchen. She also made wedding invitations. This particular endeavor is significant because it ended in the emergency room with a sliced finger. She told the doctor that it was a stupid accident, and he told her “All accidents are stupid.”

While she had a pin in her finger for six weeks, it didn’t stop her from teaching crafts to students at Cranbrook School’s Day Camp for Girls.

Moving South

After her husband retired from teaching, the two moved south. They have always been involved in their church and quickly found a home in Hendersonville where they lived for 14 years. They moved to Ardenwoods in 2004. After the death of her husband in 2005, Lillian was able to set up her craft studio and start producing work again. We spent most of our time talking about her beautiful creations.

Craft Studio

Before moving to Ardenwoods, Mrs. Meiggs spent a lot of time traveling to craft shows and selling her work through 3 different shops. Now, she sells her magnificent pieces every year to staff, residents, and families at Ardenwoods. She’s ready for her November show.

She made these fabulous butterflies, angels, birds, and dragonflies out of recycled water bottles! Each one is carefully hand painted on the  back, giving it a luminescence.

Stay tuned for Part II about Lillian Meiggs. We have a LOT more to share about her craft show!