Aunt K's

After disembarking we drove straight to my Aunt Korrene's house in Houston where I re-encountered all kinds of treasures. She and my uncle have beautiful houses, well appointed furnishings...and then art. Zero clutter.

On her shelves at Rosa Ridge sit art, artifacts, and important gifts. Some of Paul Friesen's pottery sits right next to my cousin Erin's pottery. A small carved marble replica of the Taj Mahal, luminescent with gold accents, sits open in its fancy box. A 4" carved quartz Madonna and blue interference crystal pieces rest in front of some of my aunt's books. A 4" square altered book sits with its ribbons, dangling buttons, tags and tattered pages---looking like something old and well-loved. I picked this piece up and said to Cody, "This looks like something I could have made." I did make it. My aunt's best books sit like treasures enclosed in a hutch in her office. In this room, she also keeps a photo that she took of me drinking coffee at Sunday brunch several years ago. Of course, in her living room is a large framed print of Redon's Buddha. (She has seen and was drawn to the original at Musee d' Orsay.)

Both of us are drawn to Redon.

45 minutes away, Magnolia sits on acreage by a lake with too many Palladion windows to count. The walls are painted soft warm yellows and soft warm blues. The floors are matte Travertine so I could hardly wait to get my shoes off and absorb contact. On one wall near the hearth sit a cluster of four paintings. My aunt knew right away which one would be my favorite. When Cody and Michael got back from buying wine, Cody guessed it too. In that same room sits the most sinkable-into-blue leather slipper chair and ottoman. I think it might be a Persian blue/Cobalt/Cerulean color blend---but I'd have to study it to verify its color. I just knew I had to be held by it.

Bottom right. The top left is a close second. (Sorry I inadvertently clipped the other two in the photo!)

In my aunt's lake house office, right above a soft yellow couch, hangs Grotesque Ethereal. I really can't explain the feeling I get when I re-encounter one of my paintings a time of absence from it. I guess it's similar to the altered book experience---I immediately love it and need to touch it, and then I'm just warm and glad it hangs where it hangs. On the adjacent wall are a few mandalas, Ave Maria, and a pressed paper painting from my palate which ended up being the cover of my zine in 2010. (I had been working on a thick gel rainbow painting. I have no idea where the actual painting landed. Forgive my forgetfulness. Anyone?)

 

We slept at Magnolia. I might have stolen the entire Dupioni silk duvet from Cody. Anyhow, Experiencing people in their surroundings is a bit like establishing context with others---but this is visual, visceral, intimate, telling. I love experiencing the commonalities to the art we share. Everything jives about my aunt and her surroundings. I am so grateful for her presence in my life. (Bright idea! I might just have to blog about two of my other aunts' homes, too.)

Aunt K took us to the Menil where we got to see a large Surrealist collection and the most amazing installation. I will post about that next.