Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Earl paints a collie


This painting was an estate sale purchase that I planned to resell but my inner voice (one of them) kept telling me to wait. I hung the painting in the corner of a room where I could walk past it often while I mulled it over. 


The house where I purchased this was long and narrow and built into a hill so the basement felt as though it went on for miles -- back and back and back until it ended in a man cave filled with lots of table saws & wood, tools and the usual jars of nails and screws. In one corner there was a stack of old picture frames and the very old supplies of someone who was a painter.


Which is where this painting comes in. Covered in dust and signed & dated 'Earl Martin 1945.' 

I can't get the picture out of my head of Earl Martin at home, in the basement, maybe listening to the radio for news about WWII and loving his dog so much he painted this portrait.  And then knowing that painting sat in Earl's man cave for 65 years...

I guess I can tell the inner voice to shush. I'm keeping it.


Who's a good boy?!

19 comments:

  1. I love your collie. Sweet face and don't you think Earl would be so pleased that you are taking care of his beloved pet?
    Annette

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  2. Yup....I would be keeping it too! :) Sandy

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  3. Looks like a keeper. I think a collection of dog paintings might be the next step. Always like to enable others.

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  4. Awwww, I love the heck out of stories like this! But how do you know that the dog's name isn't Earl Martin?!

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  5. I'm the same way Amy....always wondering about the original owner/maker/crafter. It's fun to think of what their lives were like and what stories they could tell....someone will be wondering about our stuff one day, a loooong time from now.

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  6. Look how you've brought a moment of life back to ol' Earl and his beloved doggie! :OD

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  7. I'm this way about other peoples embroidery...who were they? Why is it here in this thrift store.....consequently I have a closet full that I rescued! I'm glad Earls collie has been rescued.

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  8. Oh Amy you hear those voices TOO....It gets reall NOISY sometimes doesn't it....hahahahahahaSNORT....!!

    I LOVE your pic & your imaginings as to it's creation & past life are WONDERFUL....He's definately a GOOD BOY & a KEEPER....!

    THANK YOU for helping us celebrate our 100th posts....The party wouldn't have been complete without you....!

    Cheers for now,
    Tamarah :o)

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  9. Folk art at its' best! What a wonderful find - I would never get rid of that beautiful, personal painting if I had been lucky enough to find it. That must have been a well loved dog. ( you know god is dog spelled backwards.)

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  10. Love this post and love the picture. I hope someone will think about me in such an honoring way if they find my things 65 years from now! It's beautiful!

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  11. In all my years of owning dogs, I never owned a collie. He is beautiful!!! Super story that goes along with the painting, Id keep it too.

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  12. I am glad you are keeping him too! He is meant to be in your home! Thanks for the sweet comment you left at my cottage! I truly appreciate your thoughtfulness! :)

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  13. Absolutely FAB blog...and I love your thoughts about this painting. I would be pondering the very same things. **Helena

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  14. I love this and next to those cool skis? It is perfect. I would expect that photo to be in a designer magazine.

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  15. That's my kind of dog. You tell it to sit, and it does, for decades!

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  16. I agree, this is a 'must keep', I know I would have to keep it.

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  17. Oh...I love this and your story to go with it! Making your own back-story must be the reason we love vintage things!

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I love this part! Thanks for your comment.