We had three handmade, gorgeous wooden frames on Rebel Heart. They were each custom designed by our friend Gray, of Small Life Studio.
Yes, Cora is truly this sweet. This is her in La Paz in 2013 awaiting Eric's return home from a business trip and gazing lovingly at him in the picture.
The frame on the port-side bulkhead contained a painting done for us by our friend, Rick Sakow.
Rick on the left. Me and Eric at right. Catalina, November 2008.
We love this painting. If you have never had someone paint your portrait, let me tell you it is a true honor to receive a gift like that.
Right? RIGHT? He totally nailed it. I plan to share more of his art here one day with you. He doesn't know that, but I plan to!
The two frames on the athwart ship's bulkhead held a photo of me and baby Lyra (top frame) and the other (bottom frame), contained a painting by the artist Kelly Paige Standard.
I first encountered Kelly's artwork years ago when I was walking past an art gallery on Beech Street in South Park and literally paused mid-stride, transfixed by her paintings in the window.
All images are original artwork by Kelly Paige Standard.
The way Kelly paints light in her work mesmerizes me. And like Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart, who couldn't describe porn, but "knew it when he saw it," I too don't have the words to describe fine art like Kelly's. But I know it when I see it.
Artwork by Kelly Paige Standard.
I never thought I'd have the means to own one of Kelly's pieces until one day on social media she announced that she would be doing a few small pieces and to contact her if interested. I took the leap and messaged her.
What I wanted to do was get a unique birthday gift for Eric. It is notoriously difficult to get anything for Eric. Perhaps it is just him, or maybe it is a sailor thing. Sailors either want very expensive items (300 feet of chain, anyone?) or the items they want are so technical and specific, that you have to get them to tell you exactly what the item is so you don't get the wrong one by accident. Some cologne and a new sweater won't work either. He doesn't wear cologne and he hates sweaters.
What was a woman to do?
Commission an incredible artist for a one of a kind gift, that's what.
Our friend, photographer Holly Harris, snapped this photo of Eric and Cora one day and it melted my heart. This was the image I proposed Kelly turn into a painting for us. The day the painting was finished I drove over to pick it up, six months pregnant with Lyra, and ever the emotional pregnant lady. I met Kelly at a local Starbucks and she handed me the painting wrapped. I unwrapped it right there in the outdoor courtyard and as I turned it over to see it for the first time, I burst into tears.
Here it is zoomed out in the custom frame made for just this painting by our friend, Gray.
I don't have the words. True perfection.
It was very lovingly hung up in our boat and there we enjoyed looking at it every day.
Before we set sail for the South Pacific, Kelly announced that she was doing another series of small paintings and I approached her about trying to turn this photo into a painting.
Cora, Christmas in Albuquerque, 2012.
Kelly was working on this piece as we sailed across the Pacific. If you know our story, then you'll know we didn't make it all the way across. During the two and a half days we had to await the arrival of the USS Vandegrift, I had time to look around our boat and see what I could possibly take with us. I slipped Rick's painting (featured at the top of this post) and Kelly's painting of Eric and Cora out of their large wooden frames. I put them in a large Ziplock bag and nestled them between our laptops in a bag that I wasn't even sure if we'd be able to bring with us off of the boat.
Luckily, we were able to. And the two pieces of artwork were saved.
Kelly Paige Standard with Cora and Lyra, fall 2014.
When we got back to town, Kelly was thrilled to know the painting had not gone down with the ship. She also presented us with this.
Look at how she has made those Christmas lights GLOW.
I didn't cry this time. I just stared transfixed for a while.
I still stop and stare at this painting. What a thrill to have true art in your home.
Now I had two pieces of art by Kelly Paige Standard, but I needed frames for them. It is not that easy to get quality square frames. I finally found Paisley Couture Frames on Etsy and was able to order exactly what I wanted (by the way, I just noticed that they are having a 10% off sale until the end of July. You can thank me later.)
These paintings hang in our living room along with the painting by Rick, that has its own new frame.
And alongside these we have a few more original pieces of art.
On the top right there is a framed colored pencil piece by Cherry Yarrow who worked from this photo of the girls to create her own composition.
Lyra and Cora, San Diego, February 2015.
She even got the sweet detail of their holding hands.
And then there are two darling water color paintings by my friend Ella, the other half of Small Life Studio. Yes, she and her husband are just that talented.
This one is my Cora.
And this photo of Lyra, clearly inspired this watercolor by Ella:
As someone who takes great joy in creating something with my own hands, in my case from fabric and thread, I'm honored to be surrounded by these creations in mediums that I don't work in. I marvel at people's talent, skill, and passion for their craft.
As William Morris said, "Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
And this art, my friends, is beautiful.
You can contact Kelly Paige Standard at kpstandard@cox.net and view more of her artwork at her web page
http://www.kpstandard.com/ and her Facebook fan page.
Tuesday, July 28, 2015 at 22:48 ;)
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