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Thursday, September 8, 2022

A Special Painting

Last month I saw a painting of sunflowers on Wendy's blog along with a link to the artist - Helen at Word Weaver Art. I liked the painting so much and visited Helen's Etsy shop and found out she does custom work.


I have longed for a painting of this scene from the back yard of my childhood home. Helen and I chatted back and forth about my photo, and what you see at the top of this post is the result. Helen asked thoughtful questions and beautifully incorporated everything I wanted. She found out that my chickens and clouds are my favorite memories of growing up!


My beloved old house, circa early 1970s


Here is a current overhead shot of my old home. As you can see, the chicken house, barn, windmill, and water tower are gone. It was for sale earlier this year and sold in April. We always talked about buying it if it ever went on the market, but now there is a busy elementary school directly across the street, so that would not be ideal. It made me very sad to see the listing photos - the house had been added to and was almost unrecognizable inside, and the old buildings were gone. So you can imagine how much this painting means to me - to have my memory of this house perfectly and lovingly preserved forever. Thank you Helen!

It resides above my desk. Toby thinks there's room for a wall hanging!

13 comments :

  1. The painting is lovely, it's so nice to have such a beautiful memory of your childhood. My childhood home has been completely razed, the barns also. The old farm has been rezoned and is going to become a industrial park. I haven't driven past there in years, I'd rather it would become homes for families. Oh well, it lives on in my mind.

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  2. How nice you could preserve the memory in a painting, it looks so inviting. I bet all my childhood homes are gone by now. I know three of them are for sure. Haven't been back there in years.

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  3. I can't begin to imagine that house with a busy elementary school across the street from it - how strange. The painting is wonderful I love the scene

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  4. That is an amazing painting - but the memories that go with it... those are priceless!! what a great idea!!!

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  5. That is so great, Linda! To find someone who would do a custom painting for you so you could preserve those memories. How fun that it came from a link from Wendy. Quilters are the best!

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  6. What a lovely painting for a sweet memory. I'm sorry for the changes to your old home, unfortunately time moves on whether we like it or not. We had a cousins reunion in Missouri a few weeks ago and tried to find the home my grandmother lived in back in the 60's - 70's. I have so many fond memories of our summer visits to Grandma's house. It was a small Craftsman style with a large black walnut tree outside the back porch; and of course the porch screen door had that perfect slam when we ran in and out :-). Unfortunately the entire street was demolished and there is a Dollar General where her home stood. I'm thankful for the good memories <3

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    1. Oh my, that is sad but you have great memories of it!

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  7. It’s a beautiful painting, Linda! So cool that you found Helen.

    Michelle
    https://mybijoulifeonline.com

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  8. I don't think a painting could have more meaning than what this painting means to you, Linda. It is lovely and such a treasure.

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  9. Your painting -- and the story behind it -- are just AMAZING! I know what you mean about the sadness when you find that the place where you grew up is so changed you don't recognize it. Have you seen the movie Gross Point Blank where John Cusack's character finds out that his mom's house where he grew up has been replaced with a 7-11? ;-)

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  10. What an amazing interpretation of the photo of your beloved childhood home!

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