Time Passes: Keys 1970 - 1979

I was surprised to find while making Keys 1970 - 1979 how much I associated each number with a year of my life - perhaps this is because I was in elementary school in the 70’s and my thoughts quickly linked the Key number with my age and grade (Key 1972, seven years old, grade two).

Key 1970 is made with a minute timer from a forgotten game, the top of a fancy bottle, two broken crystals, the centre of a burnt out light, and a bottle that held a contact lens in the late 1980’s.

Key 1971 is made with a plastic peace pendent, numbers from a circa 1903 adding machine, a fountain pen (most likely from the 1970’s), and other bits of gifted jewelry.

Key 1972 is made from the top of an angel figurine that was given to me in 1972, a metal shaft (that is heavier than one might expect), more gifted jewelry bits, those adding machine numbers, and a ring at the waist of the angel that came from a vending machine at the end of a particularly enjoyable lunch with a co-worker.

Key 1973 is made from a frame for a yard sign, more adding machine numbers (those white keys are pretty worn out - they must have been well used), and old jewelry bits.

Key 1974 is made with another part of that sign frame, more adding machine numbers, beads, and old jewelry bits.

Key 1975 is made with a film canister that I got at an antique store in Paris, those adding machine numbers, a tire pressure gauge, clip-on earring backings, jewelry bits, a rusty bit from the road that is likely part of a tire clip, and metal pieces from a locksmith that I think came from cutting lock tumblers.

Key 1976 is made with a bolt, a pen nib, those numbers again, and bits of jewelry. The chain and heart pendant are from a necklace my dad gave me (circa 1976).

Key 1977 is made with old jewelry, rusted pieces of metal that were found on the road, and numbers from the 50’s that were made to keep track of screens and storm windows.

Key 1978 is made from a piece of plant cage, jewelry, and those adding machine numbers.

Key 1979 is made from a watch that my parents gave to me (circa 1979), another piece of that yard sign frame, a sparkly cuff link that was recently gifted to me, those numbers again, and bits of old jewelry.