Shadow Boxes: Reframing the Past

Over the years, framer Orla Irwin, co-owner of The Framing Place and Gallery in Huntsville, has become an artist in her own right, as she’s developed a unique way of framing and displaying memorabilia which requires adept skill and creativity; it’s called Shadow Boxes– a three dimensional display case in which articles of the past, whether it be pictures, flags, old letters, medals etc. can be displayed together in a decorous design. Her Shadow Boxes can be seen all over Ontario, from the halls of Deerhurst resort to the living rooms of Toronto houses.  But what really interests Orla is the sentimental value attached to some of her designs.
“I’ve framed a number of interesting things over the years; letters from President Harry Truman, the spoons of the Dionne quintuplets, war medals for a soldier who died on the Bismarck, the brushes of famous artists like Robert Bateman, but what I like most about Shadow Boxes is the challenge of displaying someone’s life in a way which emotionally affects the viewer; sometimes, it’s like a eulogy in shadow box form.” After sharing a number of stories in which people have wept when seeing their finished Shadow Box, Orla described one project that was of particular importance to her; it was a Shadow Box which traced the life of Robert Everett, an artist for whom Orla felt great admiration. His wife, Nora Everett, brought in a number of objects from Robert’s past, and she and Orla sorted through them, choosing ones of particular aesthetic and emotional appeal. “There were so many interesting thing to include: we had his child drawings on ripped window blinds and cigar boxes; we had his license for the “caterpillar club”, which was a club for WWII soldiers who parachuted from damaged planes and survived; Nora told me that Robert still had a limp from landing too forcefully on the ground; we included sketches from his university days, and his palette and brushes when he was painting his masterpieces.” Robert was still alive when the Shadow Box was completed, and Orla described his reaction to the piece as humble and emotional. “He had tears in his eyes when he saw it, and he loved it so much, that he gave me a painting that I still have over my fireplace.” Orla then talked about the piece being displayed at Robert’s funeral, and how honoured she was to capture Robert’s life in a shadow box. “It was truly an honour, an experience I’ll never forget.”
Designing shadow boxes brings one face to face with the stuff of someone’s life, objects which evoke strong memories and emotions, and when they are arranged within a beautiful design, the tales of people’s lives can become themselves works of art. Orla smiled when asked about the importance of some of her Shadow Boxes: “Everyone’s story is unique,” she says,  “and I feel privileged to be part of sharing those stories.”