Hodge Podge Cottage

Hodge Podge Cottage is a name I came up with maybe about 20 years ago for a business if I ever came up with one. So I came up with one, and it's certainly not what I envisioned....but it's mine. I thought, "I'm creative. I am inspired. I need to find an outlet. I like shabby chic. I've been an "artist" since (officially) 8th grade. I met a girl - Suzette Coates - who was an artist - a "gift-given-honest-to-goodness-born-with" artist. I liked to write - I wanted to draw. She was a natural artist who I loved from the moment I met her. I was (am) white - she was (is) black and she was my first experience with a black person. i so very loved her as a friend. I was in awe of her drawing capabilities. She was surprised with my interest. We struck up a friendship and it was one of my favorite friendships of my life - very short lived - but a favorite. I wonder where she is now. I did try to find her - later in life - - but couldn't. She told me, "if you want to draw a face you have to draw a thousand faces.....if you want to draw an eye you have to draw a thousand eyes. She was my inspiration to draw - and because of HER I can draw. I want to let her know that - I would love to meet her again. She was one of 8 kids in a very poor family - I don't know what ever became of her but I would love to know. Philadelphia. Coates family - Suzette. (born around 1953-1954). Let me know if you know.