Artwork

Sunday Memories

Judy Wills

I don’t have much “taste” when it comes to artwork.  I suppose I don’t have an “eye” for quality artwork, but, as the saying goes:  I know what I like, and what I don’t like.

Consequently, Fred and I have gathered artwork for our house throughout our married life that we like and enjoy.  It might not be what a lot of people would call quality, but it suits us and we are pleased with it.

I remember once, when Fred and I and our girls went to Washington D.C. for a visit. One of the places we visited was the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, as part of the Smithsonion Museums. As we walked through the museum, I was appalled at some of the paintings we saw there.  With respect to those who appreciate that type of art – my thought was that some of those artists had to be on some kind of hallucinating drug to see life that way.  Bizarre! After spending quite a few hours there, we all decided that we would not include that museum in our touring of D.C. again.  

When Fred and I (and Karen as a baby) lived in Wiesbaden, Germany, many starving artists would come around the American housing and attempt to sell their wares.  One came to our door once.  The artist had quite a few of her paintings – all the same theme but in different color tones.  I really liked the one she had in blue tones.  But her price was way out of our budget.  We kept telling her, we were very sorry but we just couldn’t afford that painting.  She kept lowering her price.  We kept resisting.  She finally, in desperation, gave us her final price – one that we really could afford. And so we purchased the painting from her.  It still hangs in our house, and we enjoy it.

While not really “artwork” per se, there is another one we have hanging that we enjoy.  It took me many years to get framed and hung, but we like it.  We had visited the Gutenberg Museum while in Germany, and I had purchased this copy of a page of the Gutenberg Bible.  I had it framed and hung in Fred’s office at the church here in Orlando.  It now hangs in our guest bedroom.

Another type of “artwork” is a cross stitch work that a friend of ours in Virginia did for us.  I had seen her do one for a friend in our church who was moving, and asked her to do one for us, which she did.  She was very talented with this – something I can’t do – and so I think of her every time I see it, or dust the frame.  She’s gone home to be with the Lord now, so it is very special to me.

When our Aunt Jessie died, and we were going through her things to see what we each would like to have of hers, we came upon an Oriental “scroll” that was just beautiful.  Much as I thought I would like to have it, I had no idea what I would do with it, or where I would hang in on a wall.  Fortunately, my brother, Bill, said he would like it.  He took it, had it framed, and it is hanging in the entryway of their house. It is stunning.  I’m so glad he took it – it’s exactly in the right place. And it is, indeed, artwork.

Thanks to DiVoran Lites

Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years .

  Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.

After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins as well as a great-grandson. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

Tags: Art, Memories