48
B+W
W
hen I was born,
I came home to my
grandfather’s house.
His name was Morris
Cohen. I called him
Pops. He was my
mother’s father. I lived with him for three
years until my parents built a small house
and we moved away. But from the time
I was born until he died when I was 19,
I either spoke to him or saw him every day.
He owned a hardware store that catered
to plumbers, electricians, woodworkers. It
was an early version of a contractors’ supply
store. It was called the Save Supply Company.
He was a very large man and he felt he could
do anything with his hands. He made tables,
he fixed automobiles, he was an electrician.
He was lousy at all of it. Through sheer force
of will he was determined to prevail over
the challenge of craftsmanship.American artist Jim Dine
has work in numerous public
collections. In this extract from
his new book, Tools, he recalls his
grandfather’s hardware store and
how the tools had a powerful
effect on his imagination.RegardingFEATUREAll images © Jim Dine›
TOOLS