Category: Art

Unlikely Texas souvenirs

Richard and I made a trip to Texas a few years ago to visit our old home. Poor weather and sad news hounded us in many places we went. Defeated, we stopped in Georgetown during a deluge of rain and I waded into an antique shop, my feet soaking wet through my shoes. I was pretty down, and made myself buy something I would want if I were feeling happier. I chose three framed Currier and Ives prints of winter scenes. Perhaps the snow, which I don’t associate with Texas, was the reason I bought them. Our forever home is a snowy place.

We loved our years in Texas, but on this trip especially, it was clear that you can never recreate the past. And like these sentimental prints, my memories of Austin are a little idealized, preserved in a few printed images, and the people bring them to life!

Something to last a long time

This is one of the baby quilts I am working on. The flowers are hand stitched (English paper piecing method) and appliqued by hand to the white fabric. This probably represents 35-40 hours of work so far.

During the past couple of weeks, I have spent more time than usual working on quilts. I have a monthly meeting of friends where we sew (and talk!) through the afternoon, and normally, this is the only time I give to sewing. This month, being more confined indoors, I have pushed forward with my work on 3 baby quilts in my free hours.

The work that goes into most quilts is significant, so they are gifts from the heart. Jenny Doan wrote this about the journey that a quilt will make in its lifetime,

Quilts have the potential to outlive you by generations. You don’t have to worry about the life they live, or what you planned for them. They’ll find their way. Quilts, like children, may not lead the life you intended, but trust me, they will find a path–and chances are, they’ll change lives as they do.

-Jenny Doan, How to Stitch an American Dream

I enjoyed Jenny Doan’s book. She is the queen of quite an empire and she has a great story.

Gallery wall someday

Working on a gallery wall arrangement means that I am taking lots of photos of different art configurations.

My decluttering project last week was to get rid of unwanted picture frames and to frame some treasures in the basement. I matched art to frames and collected a big box of frames for donation. I completed my goal to declutter, but the basement floor is covered in art, so it’s hard to tell.

Mark’s Woods Project 2024

Mark made this bed frame and two side shelves with cabinets during the 2023-24 school year. Getting everything set up in his room has taken some time this summer, and the furniture is beautiful.

The painting was a gift, a very generous gift, and the mountains remind me of our trip to the Grand Tetons this summer.

I have learned a secret about the spaces and rooms that missionaries leave behind. They are holy places because they represent many of the things they have sacrificed in order to serve.

Keepsake

I asked Paige to illustrate each member of my stake Primary presidency. The upper collage shows the most recent group and the lower collage shows all of the women who served with me during my five+ years as president.

We were released last weekend. The keepsakes from this calling are this little portrait collage and hundreds of lessons of the heart.

Last studio recital

Last night was Mark’s last piano recital with his studio. He will have a solo recital next month, so I am grateful that we have one more moment where we can see him shine as he plays the piano. I can’t count the number of recitals we have attended over the last 18 years, but I can tell you that Bridget’s recitals were the best.

Mark played the Chopin Impromptu No. 1 in A-flat with maturity and skill. It was a great event to inaugurate a month of celebrations for Mark, our high school senior.

Two unforgettable paintings

This is a screenshot from a lecture on YouTube. It shows two versions of works by Van Gogh. The piece on the left was painted outdoors and analysis has shown his materials and the order that he added colors. Plein air painting has its drawbacks, including wind and changes in lighting, so he had to work quickly. Notice how vibrant the colors are on the left painting.

The painting on the right was done in his asylum studio, away from the elements, after the painting on the left was finished. The image on the right is more harmonious and less vibrantly colored.

I saw these paintings at the Met last summer displayed side by side and they are really memorable to me. I immediately liked the more brightly colored one and assumed that the more muted painting reflected the sadness of the asylum where he painted it. But that’s not how the artist saw things.

First: Wheat Field with Cypresses, September 1889

Van Gogh said that the less vibrant painting, the second version, was the definitive work. After learning more about both paintings, I can see that the more muted painting is more intentional and refined. The wind in the cypresses is more evident in the second one, too.

Second: A Wheatfield, with Cypresses, September 1889

With art, we can like what we like, but learning more about the artist’s process has helped me to appreciate the qualities of both versions.

Children’s Book Illustrator

Little Baby McLaughlin will be lucky to have Paige as a mom for many reasons. She knows how to raise boys, she is patient and gentle, she is a woman of faith, and she is an artist. It is fun for children to watch a parent draw something well. I bet he will ask her to draw all kinds of things and he will be delighted with the results. Lucky baby.

These children’s books were illustrated by Paige and they were privately published, so they are not available for sale. They were my Christmas presents. I am such a fan of Paige’s work. 💕

To see some of her work, you can look at her website, paigemclaughlinart.com.