A little brush with greatness

I've been a rambling writer this past weekend...okay, only a little bit, but I love to share my rambles with you. :)


On Saturday, Mark, the girls and I took a jaunt over to the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Have you ever heard of the woman known as “Miss Florence”? She lived in the late 1800's-1937, and even though she wasn't technically an artist herself, she was an important figure in the birth of American Impressionism and the flourishing of American art...for one basic reason: generosity.

She was the last of a once-wealthy family, living in a great big house right next to the beautiful Connecticut River...and one day she decided (I'm sure it was a little more complex than that) to open her home to artists so they could have a place to stay and gather and be inspired and be fed. (Don't underestimate the feeding part—even artists need good food, right?)

And besides the whole flourishing of art thing, this also made for the coolest house ever (which is why we love to visit, mostly). Paintings line the walls. Literally. I mean, like, on the walls—not just hung, but also painted on the paneling. One of the bedrooms where artists stayed was recreated, complete with easels and palettes and liverwurst can for holding tubes of paint. A table sits on the wide front porch, and it's easy to picture the lively outdoor dinners Miss Florence held there with her guests. In fact, that is probably what makes the house so unique and wonderful—that feeling that still lives there of camaraderie and inspiration and encouragement. Just being there reminds you that there are like-minded people in the world and that you should be doing your part, like them, to create something beautiful.

Here we are in an amazing stick sculpture recently constructed on the grounds. You can also get your first peek at the newest member of our family, currently bulging out my belly. :)

It also makes me want to do my part, like Miss Florence, to be an encouragement to those who need it. So, please, keep up your hard work—sometimes the work is as rewarding as the result, but here's hoping that your results are well rewarded!