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The art form I love is a sort of ephemera, something that is here for a moment and then lost. I suppose people are, too, even if those people are lucky enough to see most of a century.
Ralph Hodgdon died yesterday, on April 1st, at the age of 90. He’d probably have a scathing quip about both the age and the day! “Don’t tell them your age, dahling!”, he said to me on more than one occasion. Age doesn’t bother me. I think you have to have an old soul to love paper dolls.
Ralph was the first paper doll artist I ever met, and I remember the day I met him. Laura Cushing had tracked down my landline phone number, the one I turned on specifically for my grandmother who was living with us at the time. I didn’t know it then, but Laura brought me into the paper doll world at exactly the time I needed it the most. This isn’t that story even though that’s a great story, and I’ve told it many, many times.
Laura invited me to a local paper doll party. I was a bit nervous, so I grabbed my mother and we made the drive to Plymouth. I’m one of those extroverted introverts – I’m a talker, for sure, but my preference is to be alone. I’m not great at joining groups or being a part of a community. I’m still working on it. But I went anyway. It was the day Megan Markle married Prince Harry – May 19th, 2018. I remember this because it was running on the TV in the background during our meet-up! Everyone was very welcoming and I really had nothing to be nervous about. Paper doll people are the best people. I remember Ralph was kind to me and he held court that day in his usual way. Cheerful, boisterous, witty, and charming.
After that, I attended other local parties. At one of them, I gave a demonstration on digital art, drawing on my computer and projecting to a screen for everyone to watch while I explained a bit of what I was doing. Ralph later said to me, “Dahling, I don’t understand how you do it, but you do it beautifully!”.
Everyone was “dahling” to Ralph.
I didn’t know him as long or as closely as other folks did. I had no idea what a pillar he was in the Boston art scene and gay community until long after I met him. To me, he was a great artist and inspiration. He always had a kind word for my art. I saw him at parties and conventions, and even had the privilege of visiting his home twice, which was a shrine to the things he adored.
He loved to tell stories, especially celebrity stories. They didn’t mean a whole lot to me. I’m not really into movies all that much but he had a passion for the classics! It was hard not to be a little bit in love with Vivian Leigh or Marlene Dietrich after a day with Ralph.
Ralph loved this niche art form and he loved the people who make it, collect it, and cherish it. His sharp wit, glamorous tales, and beautiful art will be greatly missed. Thank you for being so kind to me, Ralph. I’m a better artist because I was lucky enough to know you, however briefly. Rest easy, dahling!
