An early star in our garden is the oriental poppy 'Helen Elizabeth'. This poppy has made several appearances on paper and canvas in our studios. The stunning color and graceful form makes it eye catching in the garden, and irresistible as subject matter for paintings.
An early star in our garden is the oriental poppy 'Helen Elizabeth'. This poppy has made several appearances on paper and canvas in our studios. The stunning color and graceful form makes it eye catching in the garden, and irresistible as subject matter for paintings.
The detail of the painting, Appledore: Still Life with Poppies, ( Johansson) shown above , is an example of one of those poppy inspired paintings. This painting is also a tribute to the gardener Celia Thaxter (1835-1894) and her garden on Appledore Island, part of the Isles of Shoals off the coast of New Hampshire. From vintage photographs of Thaxter's parlor it is known that she arranged flowers from her garden in glass vases, so I followed that direction in my painting. I read, and loved the idea, that she would start seeds in soil filled eggshell halves at her home on the mainland then carefully transport them by boat to the island where she planted them in her seaside garden. Thaxter, a poet, invited artists and writers to the island where she kept a cottage and her family had a hotel. The artist Childe Hassam (1859-1935), was a frequent guest on Appledore. Hassam painted the island and Celia's garden extensively, giving this place a lasting significance.
The garden has been restored and can be visited during summer months by contacting the Shoals Marine Laboratory at:
www.sml.cornell.edu/sml_reservation.php
Just a note: Appledore Island is really worth a visit but better to go after the huge population of Black-backed Gulls have finished nesting!
Before a trip to Appledore Island we recommend reading the following two books.
One Woman's Work, The Visual Art of Celia Laighton Thaxter,by Sharon Paiva Stephan
Childe Hassam, An Island Garden Revisited, by David Park Curry
1 comment:
What lovely, glorious poppies Elizabeth! Other recommended reading would certainly be Celia Thaxter's 'An Island Garden' available at: bullbrier.com
Thank you so much for promoting our public tours on Appledore. We sincerely appreciate your support! Pam Boutilier, Shoals Marine Laboratory's Coastal Coordinator/Celia Thaxter's Garden Caretaker; 603-430-5220.
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