Firescreens at the Tavern

I recently painted two fireplace screens at JMICHAELS TAVERN with a red onion tile effect to simulate a fireplace that was once there. There actually were two removed many years ago to make a stairway that leads up from the kitchen to four dining rooms on the second floor. When visiting during renovations several months ago, I saw that they were painted just solid black and I suggested this to compliment the wonderul panel wood work. The red onion is a symbol of the town's heritage that was so famous years ago.

J MICHAELS TAVERN at 222 Main Street and the First Church of Christ built in 1761 and 1764.

There are wagon rides similar to what is shown at special times throughout the year.

The Webb, Deane, Stevens museum houses across the street from the J MICHAELS TAVERN in the center of the oldest town in Connecticut, Old Wethersfield established in 1639.

I also exhibit other folk art paintings at the tavern that are available for purchase. It's a special experience to sit near the screens and let your imagination wonder through the times while having a wonderful dining experience. Visit the museum across the street where George Washington had stayed in the Webb house in 1781 planning the battle of Yorktown.

Just a little further up the street visit Antiques on Main where I have various other original works of Old Wethersfield or call me to visit the studio just across the river in Glastonbury.

Making one of my Puzzles

On cozy winter evenings at the end of a working day, my wife Janice likes at times to relax putting a puzzle together. I first wondered how that could be "relaxing" and thought it would be frustrating instead and impossible to fit a thousand pieces together. Well, after sitting down with her a couple of times I began to look forward to joining in and getting a little brian "excercise". It was fun to be together working on sorting the colors and shapes to fit and feeling the satisfaction of accomplishing something. It's a nice way not only to exercise the mind, but it was relaxing working on it a little at a time.

I hated to take apart the few puzzles that we did and instead just laid them down upstairs in my studio. However with this puzzle, "Marblehead Fish Company," I noticed that my signature was missing. So I have made this one very special by signing the box and the completed puzzle on the bottom right , noting that Janice and I finished it in February '08. This will be offered for sale on ebay someday but until then you're invited to come by my studio to see it.

"Better Connecticut"

On Monday, February 4th I was at the J MICHAELS TAVERN in Old Wethersfield where I soon will be installing two large firescreen panels with paintings of the tavern and the Webb, Deane Stevens museum across the street. Scot Haney of WSFB channel 3 in Hartford, was filming a story of the recently opened restaurant for the program "Better Connecticut" and he met me therefor the first time. It was from this meeting that he came to my studio & gallery where there was also plenty to see for a story. The segment aired two times on Friday the 8th and once on Saturday morning the 9th. This brought in interested vistors to the gallery and a special story of one of my earlier paintings that surprised me. Everyone called ahead of time to let me know of their arrival and I invite also to visit when the time is right.

Flying Painting

I have done many paintings for over 42 years and I sometiimes wonder where they go after being puchased. On Sunday afternoon I was told a story about one of my paintings that I never heard before.

Early Saturday morning was the third airing of the segment "Better Connecticut" with my interview with the host Scot Haney that was seen by Jack A. from Westbrook. It seems Jack was trying to find more about me for three years and when he heard my name it caught his attention right away. I got a call later Saturday regarding a very interesting story of how he aquired one of my early 18x24 framed canvas paintings. He first asked me if I were the same person describing a painting he had and sure enough , I was.

He told me about driving down Rte.1 a few years ago driving in back of a car that just pulled out of a flea market. All of a sudden a painting flew off of the cars roof and flew up in the air landing in the highway and he swirved immediately to avoid it. The car behind him though ran over it! As Jack came to a stop he was able to retrieve it. It seems that the painting must have been forgotten on the top of the car from New York as it drove down the road.

The only damage was tire tracks on the back side, and the beautiful gold frame had a distressed edge which was hardly noticible. The painting "Snow Shoes" is in excellent condition and was done I believe in 1985 as I didn't date work many times in the early years. It's interesting for me to see this era of primitive work having less details in my paintings of today. When he mentioned this find to a friend , he wondered if this painting could be his "retirement" and he hung it proudly in his house. That sounded good to me as I look around my gallery at all of my paintings. Jack was quite pleased to finally know more about his flying painting along Rte. 1 in Connecticut. I'd say that is quite a unique way to start a collection!

300 year old milestones to Boston

Along an old stone wall in Newbury, is the first one of four milestone markers indicating it is 37 miles to Boston. On the sides there are references to Portsmouth and also Ipswich. These are beautifully carved designs made exactly three hundred years ago that we can still witness today almost as clear as then. Do you ever stop and think about how it was to travel the roads of many years ago? When I travel at times I'm thinking how easy and fast it is to get from one place to the next even if caught in a traffic jam. In some of my paintings I have used these milestone markers which were the "highway signs"of their day and a far cry from the "global positioning systems" known as GPS . These stone markers are passed by daily for all to see and I often wonder if they are ever really noticed now. I wonder too, how these were positioned, who carved them, the activity of the time putting it all together, what the travel conditions were like, how often a trip was made, the different characters, what taverns and Inns were along the road and wonder how long it took?

This is along a curve on the Boston Road with 36 miles to Boston. I almost wonder if there was a mistake carving out 30 at first and then made into a six. Notice also the different carved designs at the bottom.

The stones are all different shapes and designs carved out. This reads 35 miles to Boston.

This might be the same view on the way to Boston traveling along the marshes often flooded in the spring.

The last stone shows on the left it is 3 miles to Newburyport and on the right it is 33 miles to Boston, carved in 1708. This stone is in front of the Governor Dummer Academy in Newbury where there is a tradition of students walking around it after graduating.

There have been other articles written in magazines and books, but this set of four milestones are unique to find and perhaps you can see them as well someday....... or maybe find them in a painting I have done.

Pennsylvania Visit

Tom and JoAnn from Pennsylvania, visit the gallery on their way back from a weekend at the Wayside Inn. JoAnn has attended many classes over the years but this was the first time it was convienent to stop by.

JoAnn just didn't believe that the brick and "metal door" imitation, was painted on the chimney extention when the barn was built. This is on the second floor of the studio where I also paint during the spring and summer.

Before heading back to Pennsylvania, JoAnn and Tom take their Springer Spaniels, Raven and Cache down through the woods to the "Million Dollar View" of the rolling hills to the Connecticut River. I like to sit when I have a chance and just relax for a moment or two.

Saturday's class at the Inn

I often have a class in painting at the Wayside Inn every January and this past Saturday the 12th was a wonderful memory for all. What a perfect day with the weather and health of all which is something I always wonder about. There is a lot of anticipation and excitement in the day that goes by so fast.

Janice and I settled at the Inn about 8:30 and went to dinner in the very room I would have the class. We had a nice seat right close to the fireplace to enjoy. After that we went up to one of the ten rooms of the Inn where we made out the class certificates that students would be receiving. The students are from everywhere including Jo Ann from Pennslyvania, Gary from New Hampshire, Grace from Connecticut and others from all different parts of the state.

Have you ever heard of the Secret Drawer Society at the Inn? These are letters found in different drawers and places hidden in the rooms written by the many visitors. The letters describe personal insights, of joy, happiness, hopes and loves of those that are fortunate to experience the Wayside Inn. There are no televisions in the rooms but reading the letters, then writing your own, creates a special place to be part of history.

We set up the class early so when the students arrive they can enjoy the coffee and muffins before class.

The luncheon was relaxing in the old kichen with the crackling fireplace making for a classic time. We all then got down to business painting the scene on the little bench. There were at least three students that never painted before and did quite well. It's nice to see and now they too have created something frozen in time, everthing else is a memory.

If interested in classes just email me and I'll let you know of other up and coming classes.