FISHING BELLS

Recently, the wife of a friend contacted Tom 

asking if he could make her a memorial sculpture 

to honor her late father who loved

to fish on the white, sandy beaches of Hawaii.  

She had inherited her father's fishing bells and 

wanted to incorporate them into an art piece 

she could keep in her home.

Joy shared her story:

"My father, Charlie, was born and raised in 

Palolo Valley on the island of Oahu. Being a local boy 

meant spending a lot of time at the beach. 

His entire family (father, mother, brothers and sisters)

 grew up camping and fishing. When my father started 

a family of his own, he would often take his kids

 to be a part of his family tradition. 

One of my favorite memories

 is how they would attach bells to their fishing poles

after casting the line out into the ocean - 

that way they knew when a fish was biting. 

I can remember the excitement that ensued when 

someone's bell started ringing - 

yelling to wake everyone up and running

 down the beach to start reeling in their catch. 

I never noticed until much later how 

each bell had a different pitch. 

The bells I kept after my father died 

represent the simple joys of life back then."

Tom's sculpture includes the three brass fishing 

bells, a steel base and frame, brass 'fishing line' and 

fishing lure and the tip of a fiberglass fishing rod

   

Lisa inspecting the lure

       Very truly yours,

LISA

 *****************

Joy shared this photo of 

'Dad's Fishing Bells', Tom's gift

in honor of her father Charlie