According to Amy Herman, in her book Visual Intelligence: Sharpen Your Perception, Change Your Life, the art of perception can be boiled down to a relatively simple process. In what Herman calls "the four A's", individuals learn to "assess, analyze, articulate, and adapt" (13). From works of art to everyday situations, this four-step process then allows individuals to examine a wide range of matters. Herman argues that the examination and analysis of anything we perceive involves these four steps. With that being said, I will employ Herman's Four A's as a means of visual analysis for a relevant family artifact.

Analysis

Step 1: Assess

Pictured above is an outfit consisting of a short sleeved top and short bottoms. The top is white with red polka dots and red trim around the neckline and the sleeves. In the middle of the shirt is a picture of a baby Minnie Mouse. She is wearing red footie pajamas and a light pink sun hat with a red ribbon wrapped around it. She is reaching for a small, red ladybug toy on a string. Behind her there is the light blue silhouette of a forest. The bottoms of the outfit appear to be a kind of bloomers or shorts. They are red with small white polka dots and white trim around the cuffs. On the bottom right side of the shirt, under the picture of Minnie Mouse, are the words "©1984 THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY." These words, when inspected closely, appear somewhat cracked and worn down. There also appears to be a tag on the inside of the shirt's neckline, but it is too faded to decipher any type of writing on it.

Step 2: Analyze

This article of clothing is designed for a baby, as is evident by its size and style. The date next to the copyright symbol indicates that this outfit design was produced sometime around the year 1984. This piqued my interest because I know that Maria was born in 1996. This begs the question of when the clothes were originally made and when they were originally purchased. I know from my parents that Maria was wearing these clothes when they saw her for the first time. Apparently one of the nurses at the hospital dressed her in this outfit before the social workers took her to my parents' house. It's very likely that this outfit belonged to one of the nurse's own children, considering that she brought it from home. The clothes were most likely in used condition by the time they were passed on to Maria, hence the faded tag and cracked lettering. It's possible that all of these signs of aging are from Maria, but because newborn babies outgrow clothes so quickly, it's more likely that the clothes had been worn and washed by their previous owners.

Steps 3 & 4: Articulate and Adapt

The fact that my parents have kept this outfit with them through several moves and for over 20 years speaks to its sentimental value. To the nurse who gifted Maria these clothes, it was simply just another outfit, one among many in the baby's closet. To my parents, it's a reminder of the very first time they saw their child. In a sense, it's a reminder of the kindness they were shown. This nurse was under no obligation to give away her personal belongings to a week old baby in the hospital, but she did it anyway. Before Maria really even had a place to live, she had something to wear-- something of her own. Examining the memories behind this outfit has elicited a multitude of feelings and questions within myself. It baffles me to think of how an action in one person's life can be of little consequence: just another step along the way. But for someone else, this action can result in the very formation of memory and family history. It begs the question of what family histories and memories we are each tied to, both consciously and unconsciously.