“These little guys were taken for granted as part of our lives, just like thinking your dad will always be there—until he isn’t.”
When we were kids growing up, the Scotties were always a presence in the living room. They were more than just a presence because we would take them off their stand and play with them, running our fingers over their planed surfaces, pricked ears, flat muzzles, and snubby noses. There are six Scotties, the smallest about a half an inch.
These little guys were taken for granted as part of our lives, just like thinking your dad will always be there—until he isn’t. My dad was Willie Hoshiyama, who carved these Scotties with a pocket knife in camp at Topaz. We don’t know if he ever took a class in woodworking in camp, but he never really carved as a craft after that.
In 1943, my mother left Topaz to work at the JACL (Japanese American Citizens’ League) in Chicago. My love-struck dad followed her there and they married. While in Chicago, he apprenticed as a printer. Upon his return to San Francisco in 1948 or 1949, he continued to work as a printer and learned the typography trade. He eventually opened his own advertising typography shop with a partner.
My brother, Bill, and I remember that Dad carved custom designs. He would take marketing layouts from the advertising artist, and if the work needed more than just type or the standard default designs, he would carve them. Typography is now a lost profession; but before the digital age, this was how all printed matter was handled—the linotype machine and hand-worked designs. Billy remembers the TYPOGRAPHIC logo carved in wood by Dad that graced the door to his shop.
So, although he never again carved anything as whimsical as the Scotties after camp, he did make use of the skills he discovered while he was there.
About the contributor: Gail Hoshiyama Nanbu was born in Chicago, IL in 1944, where her parents, Willie and Fumiko Hoshiyama, were married after an early exit from Topaz. The family returned to San Francisco in 1949, but Gail has lived in Walnut Creek, CA for many years. She and her husband, Gerry Nanbu, love to travel, especially to Japan. Gail enjoys Ikebana and making Kimekomi dolls while still helping clients with their tax issues as an enrolled agent.
Copyright 2019 Gail Hoshiyama Nanbu. All rights reserved.