08/17/2019
It's probably a Storms Thing...
It's been sometime since I have posted something here. I can remember banging away on something someone asked me to make for them. Many of times my brother, Jeffery would be hammering away alongside me. I used to think this would disturb our Mom, but to my surprise she said it was soothing and she couldn't wait to see what we had created the following morning. We used to like to make things for our parents or friends who had asked us for something to their liking.
I can remember plenty of times staying up late to finish something an my brother an I would help each other solder or hold something to make it complete. How I wish I could hear my brother hammering away on something right now. Asking me to hold this, while he would spark up the torch so we could complete the piece. My parents were very proud that we could just take a flat piece of brass or copper and turn it into something awesome overnight.These skills passed down from our grandpa who used to entertain us in the cellar by making metal art. Who would have known that later in life we would be making these little gems for people who thought that they were the most amazing thing ever, an always so grateful that we made it especially for them.
I'd give my right arm to work alongside my brother and help finish his piece right now. Always feeling so very excited to show Mom what we made the night before. You don't ever think that the day will come that you can't get to do that anymore. I was filled with pride to take my piece downstairs or into my my Moms room and show off what was seemingly effortless and they thought it was the best thing ever. Ron Levine, Joan Storms, an My Brother, Jeff have all passed away now. I would give anything to be able to see their eyes light up the way they used to back then.
I miss those days down in the damp musty cellar. My Grandpa, Andy Storms, WAS amazing. He would make all sorts of things out of copper or brass, sometimes adding stained glass to the mix. My Dad, Steve Storms, (Andy's son), has got it too... He has quite the knack for making his own variations of some kind of molten metal, or something he burned with a million volts blaring out of a transformer he got off some job somewhere as an electrician. It's probably "A Storms Thing." Because, "It IS," what we do.
Sadly, someone stole our supply of brass (about 150lbs) from our garage that we had acquired from our Grandpa; and it slowed the creativity to a halt. So selfish that someone would take our inherited material and scrap it for pennies on the dollar. Completely selfish. Pretty sure I know who took it too. How I wish I could have made something for my Grandpa now. I would love to have felt his pride in me when I handed him a product of his own teachings; he was always showing us how to make stuff, our own cool stuff. I am glad I got to spend those hours in the cellar with my brother an Grandpa. Priceless hours, a blink of an eye in a lifetime.
I wish I could've spent more time with my kids, when they were younger, doing what we did then, down in the cellar or have them spend time with their, "Poppy" out in the garage, in AZ, making all sorts of cool stuff like Jeff and I used to do when we were kids. I am glad my Dad, (Steve Storms) an My other Mom, Lucille, can reveille in, my children's and my creations. That pride is a feeling unsurpassed and what keeps us alive an going in this world of sometimes, not so easy moments.
I am looking forward to sharing more of those,"Wow, that's really cool," moments. My daughter already does amazing artwork of her own, drawing, painting, tattooing, making music, whatever; without effort, with total confidence and ease. I am not sure what Santana likes to do really. We don't talk all that much. However, I have no doubt that he could knock something out, "In a New York Minute."
It's probably a Storms Thing!
