Wyeth Influence

Andrew Wyeth paintings have always captivated me.  Seeing them online, in art books, or as prints is one thing but seeing them in the Brandywine River Museum takes your breath away.  If you've never visited this museum, you will love it.  Here is just a small sampling of his work.

It seems that what Wyeth paintings do not portray is as important as what they do.  What has happened to the house in the first image?  Who lived there?  What is Helga thinking in the second image, and what house is that fence a part of?  I love his choice of subject matter and, as an amateur painter, am in awe of his talent.

Then, "what to my wondering eyes did appear" in the February 1975 issue of American Home?!  This:

Now, this changes my whole design aesthetic.  Nothing can be busy, everything must be antique and all antiques must be period ones.  My husband used to say, "Billie, everything old is not gold."  But look at this next picture.  It is gold.

The corner cupboard is wonderful, and his artwork over the camelback sofa so something only Wyeth could execute.  The hooked rug is a treasure.

Notice the fireplaces in these bedrooms, the corner chair in the top picture, the great, old bowl in the bottom picture, the Wyeth originals hanging everywhere and the hooked rugs in both.  God, I love these Wyeth rooms.  (The only thing missing from this article was pictures of the Andrew and Betsy Wyeth's kitchen.)  No matter how much my decorating aesthetic has changed, my love for this home never will.  It inspired my family's visiting the Brandywine area often, and it inspired my search for more (which will follow).

Since this blog is also about cooking, I thought it might be time insert a recipe and, since this posting is about Andrew Wyeth, I included a Wyeth painting.   Both are from For the Pot, Recipes from Brandywine River Museum.  I make this rhubarb pie recipe every spring.

Sorry for the smudges.  I have used this recipe lots.  Beautiful images from Mrs. John McCoy's home (Andrew Wyeth's sister and Brandywine resident) to come.