It was appropriate for Ruth Abrams to open her latest art exhibit close to Memorial Day. This 79-year-old Brookline resident has made memory the central focus of this display of collages, assemblages, and video. The 20 different pieces of her art recall some of the people and events most important in her life.

One of the collages memorializes Phil Ross, a fellow college student at Ohio University in Athens, who became her boyfriend. After he had given her his fraternity pin, he went off to the Army and was killed in the Battle of the Bulge.

Ruth remembers vividly how she learned of his death. Her roommate met her after class and walked back to their dormitory. There her sorority housemates gathered around her and broke the awful news to her, what she calls “hollow, blank history.”

Soon after, she went off by train to Wilkes-Barre to visit Phil’s family whom she had never met before. They were in mourning and she joined them in their Jewish ritual. One of her preoccupations was wondering whether to give back Phil’s fraternity pin.

In a collage entitled “Trains and Memories,” Ruth uses photos of Phil in uniform, recently sent her by his half brother. In the words written on the display she poignantly asks: “Was it 58 years ago? Why do I still have tears?”

Another collage allows the artist to express her philosophy of later life. It bears the title “Lobster, Take a Risk,” and quotes author Eda Le Shan who sees in the lobster–which needs to shed its shell in order to grow–a model for growth through the courage to change.

“Aging can be a time of change,” says Ruth Abrams, “and a time for growing. The secret of successful aging is to go on to explore life, learning, shedding the old for new challenges.”

Asked if this indeed expresses her philosophy, Ruth agrees. Disarmingly, however, she laughs and lightheartedly refers to herself as “this crazy lady.”

The exhibit “When I Grow Up” features a box enclosing the doll Ruth received when she was six years old. Her family was poor; the doll was given her by a family friend. On the outside of the box, she lists all the things she wanted then. Among them was a bicycle, something she finally acquired at 14. However, she parked the bike on her back porch and it was stolen. Never again would she have another one.

I enjoyed seeing again “Father’s ‘Golden Hands’,” a small display of some tools that Ruth’s father used for various repairs. The term is a tradition Jewish expression for suggesting a person skilled with his hands. Ruth’s father, who owned a gas station, would respond to neighbors hinting at their need to have something fixed. This he would do much to the disapproval of his wife.

A more complicated display  requires lifting a veil to discover words used as stereotypes of old people. “Old” suggests “lonely” or “self-centered,” for example. The artist here delivers the message that old things as well as people are valuable and should not be tossed aside.

Commenting on the value she finds in creating the parts that go into a show like this one, Ruth says: “There’s so much learning that goes on when you’re working physically with a piece.”

She feels the creativity in herself but also complains about some loss. “the trouble is I’m also forgetting,” she regrets. However, she does see this process as a kind of balance.

When she turns toward a collage that centers on outrageous older women, she refuses to include herself in this number. “I’m not outrageous; I’m pretty conservative,” she claims. Of course, she is correct literally in so far as the material in her show comes from what she has conserved or saved, rather than thrown away. Whether this artist is conservative in her world view, however, seems much less certain.

Before this show ends, Ruth plans to reach out to the multicultural community of area residents. She has prepared voice-overs of her “Fabric of Life” video in four languages – – English, Chinese, Japanese, and Russian (and soon, Spanish) for use with the various linguistic groups.

She will invite them to come to the exhibit and give their reactions to her work. Presumably, these reactions will show differences in mentality that may reveal a variety of responses to aging. Ruth hopes to interest gerontologists in analyzing these differences.

The show is on display through June 18th at Newbury College. The college gallery is located at 150 Fisher Avenue, Brookline. My reason for taking notice of this event is the inspiration I derive from seeing one of my age peers display to the public her continued creativity. Ruth Abrams offers just one more proof of the spirit shown by so many people as they sift their later years for value.

Richard Griffin