JessicaPaolo

Ms.Kusinitz
Writing104A7
4April2016
ElizabethAnnGigliodoro:AnArtisticSpirit
Acalloused,veinyhandgripsabingodauber,thefingerscurvedarounditinamost
delicateandtechnicalmanner.Itsowner'spalegreeneyesaretraineddownonapapercard,
searchingforthemostrecentlycallednumber.Justthen,though,somethingcatchesthewomans
attention,andshelooksup.Herthinlipscurveintothevaguesemblanceofasmileasshespotsa
blackteeshirtpaintedwithglimmering,vibrantpaints.Thelinesofcolorswoopanddive,
formingwhatappearstobecacti,flowers,andleaves.ToseventyyearoldElizabethAnn
Gigliodoro,thesepainteddesignsaremorethanfamiliar,becauseshecreatedthem.Ialways
seemyshirtswalkingaroundIvemadesomanyofthem,itskindofhardnotto,she
whispered,noddingherheadslightly,asiflostinamemory.ButnowIjustsitandplaymy
bingo.
Whenaskedhowmanyshirtsshemighthavecreated,Elizabethrespondswithagenerous
approximationofsomewhereclosetoonethousand.Shefirstbeganpaintingandsellingthem
backwhenshewasabouttwentyfive,andhadtwosmallchildren.Thekidswerealways
trippingandrippinandslippingonthings,sherecalls,rollinghereyes....AndIthoughtthatI
couldpaintoverthespotsofdirtorwhateversoIdid.Andthus,Gigliodorogotherstart.
Overtheyears,shelearnedmoreaboutwhichpaintswereofthebestquality(whilestillbeing
affordable),whichshirtsweremadebetter,andwhereshecouldgetthem,asneeded.However,


Paolo2

Elizabethneverimaginedthatshewouldendupneedingallofthisinformationasmuchasshe
eventuallydid.Duringtheearlyyearsoftheirmarriage,Elizabethandherhusbandwereplagued
byeconomiccrises,andstruggledtopayallofthebills.WhenGigliodorospeaksaboutthispart
ofherpast,thewistfullookinhereyeisgone.Shemakesdirecteyecontactassheremembers
howthingswere.Backthenyouknow,wedidnthaveopportunitieslikeyouguys.Igrewup,
gotmarried,andlefthome.Collegewasntanoption.
GigliodorowasonlyseventeenyearsoldwhenshemarriedherhusbandRonald.She
livedinaworldwherewomenbecamesecretaries,ordidntworkatall.However,forElizabeth,
simplystayinghomewasnotanoption.Ronaldhadchosennottoattendcollege,andworkedfor
acardealership.Indoingso,themoneyhebroughthomevariedgreatlyovertheyears.Asa
result,Elizabethreasonedthatshehadtostartmakingsomemoney,aswell.So,Istarted
comingtothecraftshows,Gigliodororecallswithenthusiasm,apridefullookinhereye.
ItwasthisneedforincomethatledElizabethtocreatehandpaintedshirtsforagrand
totalofaboutfortyyears.ShehassoldthematcraftshowsallaroundtheEastCoast,andpartsof
Nevada.Withtheaidofherhusband,Gigliodorowouldbeginsettingupaboothsometimesas
earlyasfourinthemorning,andnotclosedownuntillateevening.Elizabethrecallssittingin
foldablelawnchairsforlongstretchesoftime,givingsmallsmilesasprospectivecustomers
wouldwalkbytheboothandglanceatthefruitsofherhardwork.Sometimes,familiarfaces
wouldpassby,andshewouldleanoverthedisplayofteeshirtsandbabyclothes,andgive
handshakes,orevenhugs.Icametoknowalotofpeople,shemurmurs,gingerlyturningthe
bingodauberoverinherhand.Ohyeah,wehadalotoffriends,sheaddswistfully.


Paolo3

Overtheyears,Elizabethreallydidbecomeacquaintedwithavarietyofpeople.Some
werefrequentcustomers,whomadetheweeklytrektocraftshows,seekingoutuniqueandtop
qualitywork.Otherswerefellowcrafters,whotheGigliodoroswouldchatwithduringthelong
stretchesofdaylight,anddinewithbysundown.Itwasthispresenceofatightknitcommunity
thathelpedElizabethsbusinessbecomesuchasuccess.Whenaskedhowwellshewasableto
supportherselfthroughthesaleofshirtsalone,shequicklyandeagerlyreplied:Ohyeah,for
quiteawhileIdidgoodenoughtomakewell,anincome!Sheassumesthattheshemust
havehittheprimeofhercareerwhileinherthirtiesandforties,whenshehadthemosttimeand
energy.However,Elizabethkeptpaintingshirtsdailyforquiteawhileafter,allthewayintoher
latefiftiesandearlysixties.
IusedtodothemwhileIwouldbabysitmygrandkids,shesays,thendropsthebingo
dauberandflattensherhands,spreadingthemoutoveraninvisibletable.Iwouldsitthemup
withacoloringbookorapaperplatewithsomescrappaint,andtheywouldwatchmewhileI
madealltheflowersandleaves.Elizabethreckonsthatduringthisperiodofherlife,shewas
abletobothworkandspendtimewithfamily,whichwasoneofthereasonsshelovedbeinga
craftersomuch.
Infact,theonlyreasonGigliodoroscareerslowedwasduetoaterriblecaraccident.One
fatefulnight,hervehiclewasstruckbyagianttruckthathadbypassedastopsign,leavingher
andherhusbandwithavarietyofwounds,andpain.Oneafflictedareajusthappenedtobe
Elizabethsrighthand,whichshehadusedtopainttheshirts.
Sheusedtocreateherdesignsbyattachingvarioustipstosqueezablebottlesoffabric
paint,andthepressuresheexertedonthesebottleswoulddeterminethelinequality,andtheway


Paolo4

inwhichthepaintspreadoutoverthefabric.However,aftertheaccident,Gigliodorowasleft
withabsolutelynofeelinginherrightindexfinger,andphantomthrobbingthroughouttherestof
herhand.Withthis,herformerlyrelaxingandwelllovedhobbybecameanightmarishstruggle,
andshefoundherselfunabletoenjoyitassheoncehad.Whilelearningtocopewiththeimpact
oftheaccident,theGigliodorosbegantoattendcraftshowslessandless,andonlysoldshirts
thatElizabethhadstockpiledbeforethetragedy.Itwasalmostasifshewassinkingintoher
ownformofretirement.

Now,insteadofpainting,shespendsherfreetimeattendingweeklybingogamesand
lunchesdownattheLincolnSeniorCenter.Shehasformedanewgroupoffriendsthere,and
cherishesthehoursshegetstospendgoingoutandplayingbingoeveryweek.
Although,theeffectsofElizabethslong,andlucrativecareerhavenotdisappeared.She
oftenfindspeopleadorningherdesigns,alittlebitfromhere,there,andeverywhere.In
addition,shestillfindsherfriendsfromthecraftingdaysinsupermarketsanddrugstoresallof
thetime,andismetwithmanywarmhellos.
ImadeverygoodqualityshirtsIdidntusethecheesystuff,andpeoplelikethat,
Gigliodoroproudlystates,noddingtoherself.Shefindsitunlikelythatherhandpaintedclothes
havebeentrashed,andthistheoryisaffirmedbythefrequentsightingsofwearers.Eventhough
shessignificantlyloweredherproductionofwearableart,itspresencehasnotfaded.
However,onehastowonder:willsheeverreturntothegreathustleandbustleof
gargantuancraftingfairs?Ithasbeenquiteafewyearssincethecaraccident,andalthoughshe
hasnotfullyrecovered,Elizabethhaslearnedhowtouseherrighthandtoperformavarietyof


Paolo5

everydaytasks.Shecaneventhreadaneedlewithit,askillwhichisoftendifficultforthosewith
fullyfunctioningfingers.Itislikelythatshecouldreturningtopaintingagain.
Although,Gigliodorosimplychucklessoftlyinresponse,thenshakesherheadbackand
forth.Icouldtrydependsontheday.Theresgooddaysandthennotsogooddays.She
thenproceedstopickupacoloredpencilthatIhaddropped,andbeginsketchingsomecactiand
plumeriaflowers.Herpencilstrokesarelightandslow,herarmpoisedawayfromthepaper,just
likeaprofessionalpaintertryingtokeeptheirelbowawayfromthewetacrylic.Thespiritofan
artistisstillalivewithinElizabethAnnGigliodoro,butonlytimewilltellifitcontinuestolay
dormant.

Rubric: Profile
Distinguished Command

MS 1
Builds
Evidenc
e

MS 2
Convey
s
comple
x ideas
and
concept
s

MS 3
Organiz
ation
of
Writing

Develop the topic with

well-chosen, relevant, and
sufficient facts, extended
definitions, concrete details,
quotations, or other
information and examples
appropriate to the audiences
knowledge of the topic. Field
research is extensive and
thorough; expertly used in
profile.
Student develops the topic
thoroughly by selecting the
most significant and relevant
facts, extended definitions,
concrete details, quotations, or
other information and
examples appropriate to the
audiences knowledge of the
topic (rhetorical situation).
Introduce a topic and organize
ideas, concepts, and
information to make
important connections and
distinctions; include
formatting (e.g., headings),
graphics (e.g., figures, tables),
and multimedia when useful
to aiding comprehension.

Strong Command
Develop the topic with relevant
facts, definitions, details,
quotations, or other
information and examples
appropriate to the audiences
knowledge of the topic. Field
research is extensive and used
well throughout profile.

Moderate Command

Develop the topic with

relevant facts, definitions,
details, quotations, or other
information and examples.
Field research might need to
be extended or used better
in profile.

Student develops the topic with

well-chosen, relevant, and
sufficient facts, extended
definitions, concrete details,
quotations, or other
information and examples
appropriate to the audiences
knowledge of the topic
(rhetorical situation)..

Student attempts to develop

the topic but some the facts
may be irrelevant or
insufficient and/or the
rhetorical situation has not
been fully considered.

Introduce a topic and organize

ideas, concepts, and
information to make important
connections and distinctions.

Introduce a topic and

organize ideas, concepts, and
information.

Partial to No Command
Student attempts to
develop the topic with
relevant facts, definitions,
details, quotations, or
other information and
examples but provides
limited evidence. Limited
field research or
underdeveloped in
profile.

Student attempts to
develop the topic but
most of the facts are
irrelevant or insufficient;
lacks an understanding of
the rhetorical situation.

Student attempts to
introduce a topic and
organize ideas, concepts,
and information but
provides limited evidence.


Paolo6

MS 3:
W 2c

MS: 3W
2f

MS 3:
W4

Use varied transitions and

sentence structures to link the
major sections of the text,
create cohesion, and clarify
the relationships among ideas
and concepts.
Provide a concluding
statement or section that
follows from and supports the
information or explanation
presented (e.g., articulating
implications or the
significance of the topic).
Produce clear and coherent
writing in which the
development, organization,
and style are appropriate to
task, purpose, and audience.

Demonstrate command of the

conventions of standard
English grammar and usage
when writing or speaking.
MS 4
Langua
ge and
Conven
tions

Uses precise language and

specific vocabulary to manage
the complexity of the genre
and topic; conveys a
knowledgeable stance in an
appropriate style to the
discipline and context, as well
as the expertise of the likely
readers.

Use varied transitions and

sentence structures to link the
major sections of the text to
create cohesion.

Use transitions and sentence

structures to link the major
sections of the text.

Student attempts to use

transitions and sentence
structures to link the
major sections of the text
but provides limited
evidence.

Provide a concluding statement

that supports the information
or explanation presented (e.g.,
articulating implications or the
significance of the topic).

Provide a concluding
statement.

Student attempts to
provide a concluding
statement but provides
limited evidence.

Produce clear and coherent

writing in which the
development, organization, and
style are appropriate to task.

Produce writing in which the

development, organization,
and style are appropriate to
task.

Demonstrates an
understanding of the
conventions of standard
English grammar and usage
when writing or speaking.
Writing may contain a few
errors that do not detract from
the over meaning.

Demonstrates an
understanding of the
conventions of standard
English grammar and usage
when writing or speaking.
Writing may contain a few
errors that do detract from
the over meaning.
Attempts to use language
and specific vocabulary to
manage the complexity of
the genre and topic.

Uses precise language and

specific vocabulary to manage
the complexity of the genre and
topic.

Student attempts to
produce writing in which
the development,
organization, and style are
appropriate to task but
provides limited evidence.
Student attempts to
demonstrate an
understanding of the
conventions of standard
English grammar and
usage when writing or
speaking. Writing
contains many errors that
do detract from the over
meaning.
Attempts to or fails to use
language and specific
vocabulary to manage the
complexity of the genre
and topic; provides little
or no evidence of skill.