"Belle Maison"

6" X 6" Oil on Raymar Canvas Panel

SOLD

When I first laid eyes on the reference photo for this painting taken by my friend, Anne Heinrich on a recent trip to South of France, I was so drawn to the house’s façade.  I just wanted to be there in person.  Its approachable, warm, inviting, colorful, interesting, and gentle presence emanates a “welcome” - almost as if its arms are open wide, ready to affectionately embrace anyone wanting to enter.  It’s perfectly imperfect.   

I do wonder what it’s like to live there.  Surely everything is always clean and orderly, the kitchen always stocked with their favorite foods, and there are as many TV’s and remotes as the number of people that reside in it!   Of course, I think it’s decorated exactly like I would do it, and that all who live there are happy, content, and at peace - all the time!

Shall we go in?   Let’s see what it’s really like, and if we actually had the opportunity, would we really want to stay?  Is it as you imagined?  How would you describe it?

Stiff and formal?  (Are you afraid to move for fear you’ll do the wrong  thing?)

Too fancy?  (Could you ever measure up to the expectations?)

High maintenance?  (Is your mind already thinking of the upkeep?)           

Cluttered with “stuff”?  (Do you want to run to your “safe place”?)

Empty and cold?  (Do you feel unwanted, edged out?)

Or, can you hardly hold yourself back from enveloping yourself in the  billowed, overstuffed chair and a half, adorned with soft, fluffy, down pillows and ottoman in your favorite colors – a place of rest and refreshment? 

Hmmmmmmm.....

Thought for the Day

If an inanimate object can create just enough curb appeal by warming our hearts enough to make us want to enter, I have to wonder what message we, as humans, present to others with our appearance?  (We sure do spend a lot of time and effort on it!)   And more importantly, what do they encounter once they’ve entered our “space”?

“For we are the temple of the living God.  As God has said:

“I will live with them and walk among them,

and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
                                                                                2 Cor. 6:16