WAVING FLAGS, WONDERFUL WEDDINGS & WEEKENDS AT THE LAKE

PRESIDENT THOMAS JEFFERSON ~ "Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom."

SUMMERTIME! Mother Nature’s hung the sun in the sky, so out come our bicycles, picnic baskets, hiking gear and golf clubs! The calendar has three all-American holidays ~ Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day ~ perfect for get-togethers with family and friends. Our daughter got married on July 4th last year, so this holiday will always be a special one to us.

This photo pictures Doug and me at the annual Yarrow Point 4th of July picnic on Lake Washington. The neighborhood blocks off the street and live music has folks of all ages “struttin’ their stuff” on the pavement after dinner and well into the evening. We LOVE being on this on the guest list!

REDMOND SATURDAY MARKET DATES

This is my third year at Redmond's open air market ~ the oldest one on the Eastside (communities east of Seattle, Washington).

The following dates are dependent on good weather. My artwork doesn’t like rain, so here’s hoping we have a long, SUNNY summer! Cancellations will be posted by the Wednesday before.

NEW PORTRAIT SERVICE

Please visit my Commission page to see the spring portrait of my darling granddaughter, Addison lee. Click there to learn more about this is NEW service I'm offering.

"SUMMERTIME CELEBRATIONS" ~ (20 paintings ~ 2 NEW!)

Click on each of the 20 images below to see a larger view of the artwork. Beneath the collection are photos and stories about each painting. To order prints, cards, magnets, etc. visit my Ordering page.

ENJOY the collection ~ and your summer!

WAVING FLAGS (8 Paintings ~ 1 NEW!)

WONDERFUL WEDDINGS (6 Paintings ~ 1 NEW!)

WEEKENDS AT THE LAKE (6 Paintings)

A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON EACH OF THESE SETTINGS ~

WAVING FLAGS (8 Paintings ~ 1 NEW!)

AWARD WINNING! "The Bill Brown Building" ~ (REDMOND, WASHINGTON • MAY 2005 • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 8x10-INCH)

This handsome building, located in the heart of Redmond, Washington on Leary Way, was built by Redmond’s most famous mayor, William “Bill” Brown. Bill was mayor from 1919 to 1948, and this was his second business building on this site.

It housed a saloon, drug store, soda fountain, barber shop, dance hall and mortuary. Rumor has it that the building also was home to the town’s “ladies of the evening” ~ and even had an entrance to a secret bootlegger’s tunnel from the days of Prohibition. This structure hasn’t changed much since the early 1900s, its owners being careful to maintain its original beauty. I gave this artwork an “All-American Celebration” theme and filled it with fun loving family and friends ~ and pets!

"The Bay House" ~ NISQUALLY, WASHINGTON • PAINTED SEPTEMBER 2005 • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 8X10-INCH)

This modest home on the shore of Puget Sound near Nisqually was home to a very large, fun loving family. When the property became too much for the retired couple to manage, they invited their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren back for one last reunion before they sold the place. This piece was commissioned as a gift for them by one of the daughters, who also had prints made for her siblings. She came up with this poem which was printed on the back of each piece.

The gatherings started in ‘45.
Friends and Family brought the land alive.
Til ’47 the way in was by boat.
The pond and the bay made a natural moat.
The house was added in ‘62.
The gatherings expanded as the family grew.
This painting is to commemorate
The very special 2005 date.

"Happy Times at the Hill House" ~ PORT TOWNSEND, WASHINGTON • PAINTED MAY 2006 • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 8X10-INCH)

This pretty two-story house, originally constructed for J.J. Hunt in 1872, became home ten years later to Robert C. Hill and his wife, Elizabeth.

Active in local community affairs, Robert Hill was elected mayor of the town in 1885, and also was instrumental in establishing the First National Bank of Port Townsend.

This is a fun summer painting with a picnic theme ~ complete with “Old Glory” billowing in the breeze. I filled the artwork with good friends about to enjoy an old fashioned feast of watermelon and other traditional favorites. Our kitties Andy and Sophie are quite an armful for my husband Doug, pictured in the front window.

Port Townsend is a quaint seaside community filled with dozens of restored Victorian homes and cottages. It hosts several music and art festivals each year. To learn about more about this destination, visit www.ptguide.com.

NEW! "Independence Inn (Matt Albert House)" ~ THE SOUTH HILL, SPOKANE, WASHINGTON • PAINTED JUNE 2008 • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 8X10-INCH)

This pretty two-story Dutch Colonial-style home was built in 1900, and is located on 304 Avenue A in the heart of the historic district in Snohomish, Washington. This charming destination is just a short drive north of Seattle.

Snohomish is a favorite with visitors as it’s is filled with charming B&Bs, cafes, restored Victorian beauties and a great collection of antique shops.

When I visited here in the late 1980s, this home was featured on their Tour of Historic Snohomish Homes. I created the fictional name “Independence Inn” for this patriotic piece.

The artwork pictures son Matt, his wife Heidi and me watching "GW" (Grandpa Doug) tossing our grandchild Addison Lee into the air.

"Roche Harbor Reverie" ~ (ROCHE HARBOR, SAN JUANS, WASHINGTON • PAINTED JULY 2000 • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 8X10-INCH)

This artwork shows family and friends enjoying a summer day at picturesque Roche Harbor on San Juan Island in Puget Sound.

The focal point of Roche Harbor Resort and Marina, this once private residence of the village’s founder, John S. McMillin, is now the Madrona Restaurant.

During the summer holiday of Independence Day, visitors crowd its deck and dining room to enjoy the magnificent harbor view and to feast on tasty dishes and libations.

For more information on picturesque Roche Harbor, visit: www.rocheharbor.com.

"Morning Walk at Roche" ~ ROCHE HARBOR, SAN JUANS, WASHINGTON • PAINTED AUGUST 2000 • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 8X10-INCH)

Mornings at Roche Harbor are the perfect time for a quiet walk on the docks, the boardwalk, and especially through the sunken gardens filled with blossoms and flowering trees.

Lucky guests at the world famous Hotel de Haro view this setting with the glistening harbor on the horizon.

The retired kiln factory building can be seen in the background of this piece. It’s the current home of the local green grocer and a cafe which serves hearty breakfasts to guests of the resort.

The green and white buildings at Roche are the perfect backdrop for the dozens of red, white and blue U.S. and Canadian flags and bunting that decorate the setting on Independence Day.

"U.S. Customs House on the Dock" ~ (ROCHE HARBOR, SAN JUANS, WASHINGTON • PAINTED MAY2004 • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 8X10-INCH)

Every year on the 4th of July, hundreds of vessels, large and small, crowd the docks and the waterfront of the little resort town of Roche Harbor.

San Juan Island is just a few miles the Canadian border, so for many vacationers, their visit begins here at this quaint one-room clapboard building at the end of the docks ~ the home of U.S. Customs.

The agents have festooned the office with colorful red, white and blue bunting, and are shown enjoying a break in the sunshine while visitors roam the docks in search of vessels with the most creative patriotic decorations.

"Ninth Avenue ~ 4th of July Frolics" ~ (SPOKANE, WASHINGTON • PAINTED MARCH 2009 • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 8X10-INCH)

Summertime in Spokane, Washington, the place where I grew up, is a true slice of “Americana.” Although Spokane is a large city, it has always enjoyed that “small town feeling” where everyone knows everyone else ~ and I tried to give that quality to this painting.

Family and friends are picnicking, heading out to the golf course, and just enjoying the sunshiny outdoors on a holiday weekend. With gaily waving flags and patriotic bunting decorating this scene, it could be Memorial Day, Independence Day or Labor Day ~ all wonderful, authentic American summer holidays.

This Tudor is one of four Comstock-Shadle family “sister” (similar to each other) houses on 9th Avenue, constructed in the early 1900s.

WONDERFUL WEDDINGS (6 Paintings ~ 1 NEW!)

"Forever Yours at the Yellow House" ~ (THE SOUTH HILL, SPOKANE, WASHINGTON • PAINTED JUNE 2003 • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 8X10-INCH)

I was driving around Spokane with my mother on a particularly dismal wintery day on a “fishing expedition” for a home to use as a backdrop for a wedding-themed painting.

Hours ~ and many photographs later ~ as the afternoon was waning, this yellow Victorian at the crest of the South Hill came into view. It was so beautiful ~ the second story oval window, the scalloped picket fence, the twin arbors to the east of the brick front walkway and bordered flower beds. What a perfect setting for my summer garden wedding painting!

"Rapture at Rosetree Cottage" ~ (REDMOND, WASHINGTON • PAINTED JULY 2005 • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 8X10-INCH)

This Dutch Colonial, the old Woodside House, was built in 1925 by Dr. and Mrs. James H. Woodside on the corner of NE 83rd Street and 164th Avenue NE. Veterinarian Woodside made house calls to local farmers, and before the day of telephones, was reached for emergencies at the Hotel Redmond (Judge White House).

Active in civic affairs, he ran for (and lost) the first Redmond Town Council in 1913. Upon his death, another veterinarian bought the house, ultimately selling it to the Swenson family (Swenson was Redmond Elementary’s principal), who lived in it for decades, creating lush, colorful gardens around the home.

In 2000, when the future of the house was threatened, Carolyn Miglino rescued it, moving it a half block to its current setting. Her charming boutique, Rosetree Cottage, offers unique gift items, home furnishings, apparel and more. Because it’s such a lovely setting, I gave this piece a summer wedding theme.

NEW! "Scott's Dream Day at Deer Harbor ~ (ORCAS ISLAND, THE SAN JUANS, WASHINGTON • PAINTED DECEMBER 2008 • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 8X10-INCH)

This lovely, natural setting at Deer Harbor in the San Juan Islands hosted Brian and Christine Scott’s wedding on May 19, 2001 ~ their dream day!

Ribbons, blossoms and delicate vines thread the whimsical gazebo and pots of pansies flank the walkway ~ beautifully framing this happy couple.

Orcas Island is part of the San Juan chain, and is also home to dozens of delightful B&Bs, as well as a well used and much loved labyrinth of bicycle paths.

"Today, Two Morrows and Always" ~ (LOPEZ ISLAND, THE SAN JUANS, WASHINGTON • PAINTED JULY 2001• ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 5X7-INCH)

This painting was completed as a commission piece for the Morrows who planned their wedding at a lovely lakeside setting on Lopez Island in the San Juans. It was used as cover artwork for their wedding invitations, which provided a beautiful record and memento for their guests.

"Marriage at the Starrett Mansion" ~ (PORT TOWNSEND, WASHINGTON • PAINTED AUGUST 2006 • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 8X10-INCH)

What a lovely setting for a wedding-themed painting!

The famed Starrett Mansion is one of the finest examples of Victorian architecture in the United States. This beautiful two-story was built for only $6,000 in 1889 by George Starrett as a second anniversary gift for his wife, Ann. Unique to the home is the tower, free-floating staircase, and interior “widow’s walk,”(so that the wife waiting for her husband to return from sea could watch and wait in comfort).

The Smithsonian Institute believes that the two-tiered free-floating staircase is the last one of its kind in the country. The ceiling of the tower features the “Fresco of the Four Seasons,” created by Seattle artist, Otto Chapman, which also was designed to serve as a solar calendar.

For more information about this destination, visit www.starrettmansion.com.

"Our Lady of Good Voyage" ~ (ROCHE HARBOR, WASHINGTON • PAINTED AUGUST 2000 • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 8X10-INCH)

This beautiful little church, which is tucked into the hillside overlooking Roche Harbor in the San Juan Islands, is a favorite setting for many brides.

Our Lady of Good Voyage was built as a place of worship in the early 1900s by Roche Harbor’s founder and lime baron, John S. McMillin, and was for decades the only privately owned Roman Catholic chapel in the U.S.

I took a bit of poetic license with this artwork. I thought that this was such a lovely setting that I placed my own wedding party on the front porch and steps of this tiny clapboard church ~ even though our own ceremony actually took place in Monroe.

WEEKENDS AT THE LAKE (6 Paintings)

"Summertime at Sunset Beach" ~ (HAYDEN LAKE, IDAHO • PAINTED JUNE 1985 • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 8X10-INCH)

This is my second attempt at painting our family cabin. The first captured the natural feel ~ this one captures the FUN! To this day, none of us wear anything other than bathing suits when we visit, unless the weather is nasty (which rarely happens)! Usually it’s sunny and hot.

The cabin is a magnet for all of us Simpsons, including our eight nieces, nephews ~ and friends ~ who descend on the place with beach toys, sail boards, water skis, boogie boards and innertubes.

On July 4th, the dock looks like very much like a marina! With well-greased bodies covering the dock and the top of the boat-house, and “G & Ts” on ice, it's always the perfect vacation spot!

"Hayden Lake Haven" ~ (HAYDEN LAKE, IDAHO • PAINTED AUGUST 2000 • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 8X10-INCH)

August often brings an over-flow of friends and family to the Simpson cabin, so Doug and I decided to rent from Linda and Clark Richards who own this place a few lots down the beach.

I painted this piece for the Richards' family as a special “thank you.” It pictures us with friends on the cabin’s deck and the Richards lounging on the sand below.

"The Queen of Seafair" ~ (LAKE WASHINGTON, PUGET SOUND, WASHINGTON • PAINTED SEPTEMBER 1999 • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 8X10-INCH)

Seafair in Seattle! The city’s two-week event-filled festival means hydros, the Blue Angels, and fun in the sun! 1999 marked the 50th anniversary of this city-wide celebration.

Seafair is also a time when vintage boat owners take their “ladies” out to join onlookers in floating crafts which crowd Lake Washington.

I christened this vessel and this painting “The Queen of Seafair” (not her real name) and filled her with merry-making friends.

"The Century" ~ (HAYDEN LAKE, IDAHO • PAINTED DECEMBER 1987 • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 8X10-INCH)

This handsome wood boat was my father’s pride and joy for years at our cabin on Hayden Lake, Idaho.

Built of mahogany with an interior of crimson red, this inboard Century “Resorter” knew how to move! The dashboard of the boat was outfitted like a car with a foot pedal accelerator to boot!

Waving from the steering wheel with his pal, Chum, is my youngest brother, Bob. Not only did he love driving as much as my dad did, he spent countless hours slalom skiing behind her.

This painting was completed as a college graduation gift for him, and it's hanging in his family room. In this photo, he's the toddler dressed in red coveralls in my arms.

"The Lake" ~ (NEWMAN LAKE, WASHINGTON • PAINTED MARCH 2007 • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 8X10-INCH)

This tranquil spot is a portrait that I painted for a friend, Jean Burton, depicting her family's cabin on Newman Lake. This pretty lake is located a short drive north of Spokane in a lovely, woodsy area.

In 1945, Effie and Dick McKay built the original place on the lake. Later it was remodelled and upgraded by Nancy and Paul Burton. Beloved by the family this cabin has been home to three generations of summer fun for them. Jean commissioned this original painting as a special gift for her mother.

"Rich's Lakeside Lodge" ~ (HAYDEN LAKE, IDAHO • PAINTED SEPTEMBER 1998 • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 8X10-INCH)

My mother, Sally, lived next door for decades to a friendly teacher named Rich. Upon retirement from the Spokane school system, he sold his condomniium and retired to Priest Lake with his longtime love, Linda.Together they built a large new log home to replace the small one-room cabin that had served as a summer home on the lake shore.

Rich took pictures of the lovely old place before it was torn down ~ inspiration for this painting which he commissioned.

HOW TO ORDER ANY OF THE ARTWORK FEATURED ABOVE ~

If you'd like more information on purchasing prints or cards of any of the paintings featured in this collection (or any of the artwork featured throughout this site), please click on my Ordering page. There's a description of all of the available items ~ plus a convenient, easy-to-use fax order form.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ARTWORK?

TELEPHONE: Tel 425.868.9238

EMAIL: artist@pattisimpsonward.com

WEB SITE: www.pattisimpsonward.com