Themes and Change

I know the part of my husband’s brain that knows me. He knows me after nearly 17 years together but doesn’t know the rest of me. Perhaps that is a challenge to find out over our years together.

The brain works in mysterious ways. I find it through art and have designed our home, inexplicably, by color and feature. All I wanted was a Tuscan retreat for the master. Other things came to pass. My framer and I get along very well.

Dad took up painting at age 80 and died at 85, over a year ago. One walks in to our small space and sees the three oranges. One a Tuscan retreat by Dad, another Maori-inspired by Dad, and a reproduction of the first four-color wood prints ever made, from Japan, all were gifts. The four-color wood block was entitled “Invitation to a Courtesan.” I tell kids who ask about it that her little sister is delivering the mail.

Then there is the kitchen with a stack of photos and art. Hallway is the “greens,” photos I’ve taken and purchased from gifted photographers and framed. Our bedroom is supposed to be a Tuscan retreat. Years ago I went to a place that sells recycled stuff in Texas and looked at what might be a place to store china and serving dishes from Italy.

I opened up the top drawer to assure the dresser had dovetailed joints. It did. There were two signed lithographs of Tuscan origin, numbered and signed. $2 each. Forget about the furniture, I got the two immediately and a few years later spent $250 framing them.

The living room is mostly blues, greens and browns. Blue and green are my husband’s favorite colors. Again, the brain works in mysterious ways. I usually plan things but here I am finding things and a way to integrate them into our lives and it is an instinct, a heartbeat, knowing what I want, not a talent. I love framing beautiful things. Dee