Mara's Incredible Mirror
Jordan is home to some incredible artistic talent. And Mara at 225 Water Street has got to be one of our greatest treasures. She is a photographer, graphic artist, and mosaic tile artist and author (and more…). I first sought her out when she moved to Jordan because of her graphic artist abilities – to turn my historic Downtown Jordan walking tour into something beautiful (and she did!). But we became friends over tile. She even saved me when I took on the ridiculously naive first-tile-project fireplace. After I was done with the fireplace, I took my first tile class from Mara, so I’d know what I was suppose to be doing. So now when I (or someone else in my house) breaks a beloved heirloom (or a discontinued china plate), I think of it as a tiling opportunity rather than as a moment to scream. Secretly, I have a few pieces I hope will fall into a million pieces and move on to a new life.
So when one of my past-favorite doll statues didn’t sell at the garage sale, I drove around with her in my car after saving her from the after-the-garage-sale-Goodwill-drop-off. And she broke. So she stayed in my car until I brought her to Mara’s, to add to her private cabinet of cast-offs waiting for a new life.
She wasn’t named Matilda then. On one of my Saturdays when I walk around downtown Jordan to catch up with the locals, I made my usual stop at Mara’s. And she had just finished gluing the most beautiful mirror I had ever seen. Full of birds and flowers and little china dishes. I loved the birds, they reminded me of my Grandma’s porcelian bird collection (I think I still have a few I inherited packed away somewhere). And the flowers were like my favorite Capodimonte flower candlesticks I received from a friend in California. I was mesmorized, captivated. And as I looked around the mirror I found her, my broken porcelian doll. Mara hadn’t remembered where she came from, but had named her Matilda. My Matilda!
Matilda in the Mirror
Mara’s store and studio is an amazing place. A respite. An inspiration. And she is an amazing talent and an amazing person. Someone you’ll surely want to meet, someplace you’ll surely want to visit, when you come to Jordan.
