Winter 2015 Art Gallery

Ahhhh… now that’s the stuff. A fantastic January Saturday at home. A lovely pink sky morning offered up a photo-op before this bright beautiful day of productive chores: mega laundry, bottling a batch of wine, tidying the garage and moving furniture (Monica’s going to paint something), shredding old bills and paperwork (smiley face) and of course enjoying an afternoon glass of the new wine while blogging some photos (last part not very productive but VERY relaxing).

Once the camera is in hand, I just can’t help myself as I wander through the house enjoying various art forms. Snap, snap, delete, snap, snap, delete.

Starting with first light – well not quite. I laid around in bed until 7:15 this morning which is late for me… but felt really nice. Yawn! Coming downstairs I saw the sun just coming up over the neighbor’s house so I grabbed the camera – snap. First photo of the day!

 Looking out a little closer I could see the curious deer had been right up to my living room window in the night. Hmph! That’s why I can’t have a bird feeder. I’m on to you, deer!  Nevertheless, the fresh snow from yesterday cast a glow in the early morning. Really quite pretty if you like snow – which some of you do.

Then, continuing around the house I realized we have quite a few pieces of art with winter themes. So I thought I’d share them with you. Here is a quick tour through the gallery to lift your spirits on this early January day. Hope you enjoy.

In the kitchen is our Jane Wooster Scott print titled Alpine Constitutional.  We got this in North Conway in 1990 on a trip to Ontario and back through the States. Ryan was 4 and Sarah was 2. That was the same trip Ryan threw Sarah’s rubber pants out the car window. What memories.

Also on the same trip I bought these two oil paintings. They are among my favorites. The Villiage of Conway and Mount Washington. The artist, Richard Packer, is deceased now but I remember running into his gallery while Mon and the kids waited in the old blue Dodge Caravan. He was there and he noticed me admiring these oils. I was torn – I really wanted them but the price was quite high and I knew we were just about broke by this point in our trip. So, I followed my heart and I bought them. I’ve never regretted it. I love them every time I look at them.   

Wandering downstairs to the family room, I discovered we forgot to put away the treetop snowflake. There it was on the window sill. And, it made a lovely photo with a bit of stained glass for color.  

Also in the family room is the Winter Gazebo print that Marlene gave us. It has little battery powered LED lights that show off the winter details: snow on the branches, cardinals in the tree and at the feeder, squirrel and other little birds on the ground. How inviting is that. I want to go there.

Here is a winter print by Linda Nelson Stocks. If you can zoom in on this, the details are incredible.

  I couldn’t resist taking a close up to show Monica reflecting in the corner surfing on her i-pad.

Finally, a prized painting by my Grandfather, Spurgeon Keith (Mom’s dad). “Sugar Woods” hung in my Mother and Father’s house in recent years and my Uncle Harold’s house before that. It would be from my grandfather that I inherited my love of art and any artistic talent he passed on to me. I admire him more and more as I get older.

Well, that’s it. Hope you enjoyed a quick tour through the winter art gallery.

Happy January, everyone!  As you bundle up against the cold in your own winter wonderland, dream of warm beaches in far away lands. I know I will be 🙂