SUMMERTIME IS HERE! LET'S CELEBRATE AMERICA!!!

"While I take inspiration from the past, like most Americans, I live for the future." ~ RONALD REAGAN

It’s summer at last ~ and it’s been a long time coming in the Pacific Northwest. Mother Nature treated us to one of the rainiest, coolest springs on record. As recently as June 10th, we had snow sticking to the highway over Snoqualmie Pass. Believe me, it’s great to finally see the sunshine on a regular basis! My confused flower gardens love it too!

Summer is the season of patriotic holidays, as I shared on my Welcome page. Memorial Day, the 4th of July, and Labor are perfect opportunities for gathering with friends and family to picnic, watch fireworks, renew acquaintances, eat delicious fare never to be classified as "healthy" ~ and just enjoy each other’s company.

The artwork featured in this Port Townsend collection here honors these feelings of closeness, friendship and FUN together. Picnicking, kite flying, gardening, bicycling ~ even wedding festivities ~ the themes of these paintings celebrate outdoor summer living at its best in our neck of the wood.

You'll see renditions of PT's famous Old Consulate Inn (once the town's office of the German Consulate from days when Port Townsend was hoping to be State Capitol), the ornate Starrett mansion dressed up for a summer wedding, the pristine George W. Downs house, Gleason house and more!

I hope that you enjoy this collection. For details on ordering prints or cards of any of this pieces featured here, just click on my Ordering page for details. Best wishes for a great summer!

PORT TOWNSEND ~ PUGET SOUND'S PRETTIEST SEASIDE DESTINATION

A LITTLE HISTORY ABOUT THESE SETTINGS . . .

"Cozy Consulate B&B" ~ (PAINTED APRIL 2002 • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 8X10-INCH)

This artwork celebrates the onetime German Consulate building in Port Townsend, Washington, also known as the Frank Hastings House.

A “must see” for visitors to this quaint town, the beloved landmark is currently welcoming guests as the “Old Consulate Inn.” (Note ~ the name “Cozy Consulate B & B” is my creation.)

The house overlooks the seaside vista from the back of the house, although the view is not as clearly defined as in this rendition. I’ve pictured myself in the window, while my husband is puttering around on the front porch, decorating it with pots of flowers.

For more information on this beautiful inn, visit www.oldconsulateinn.com.

"Marriage at the Starrett Mansion" ~ PAINTED AUGUST 2007 • 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 on this very special setting, visit their web site: www.starrettmansion.com.

"Seagull Serenade" ~ (PAINTED OCTOBER 1999 • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 8X10-INCH)

Once the home of Captain, Winfield S. Mann, this charming Victoria cottage comes by its size honestly ~ Mann was at sea so frequently, he required a pint-sized residence!

Built in 1889, this house originally only had five rooms!

Most remarkable about this home was it’s superiorly crafted window moldings, ceiling medallions and four-paneled doors.

I painted this piece with a gardening theme, picturing myself with a trowel in my hand and a bevy of friendly seagulls for company. What a fun way to spend a sunny afternoon and welcome in the summer months!

"Gleason Green Goddess" ~ (PAINTED APRIL 2003 • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 8X10-INCH)

It’s time for a fun summer picnic complete with all the traditional fixin’s ~ from watermelon to beef burgers to chocolate layer cake! What tastes better than picnic fare!?!

My husband and I are pictured celebrating with our pals, the Ebners and the Herberts, at this beautiful historic Port Townsend home.

It was constructed in the early 1900s by dentist, Dr. Gleason
on Taft Street, and adorned with a decorative turrent and unique front picture windows.

The home’s interior features a creative use of wood throughout, including built-in china cabinets.

"Pulling Kite Strings at the L.H. Pontius House" ~ (PAINTED FEBRUARY 2004 • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 8X10-INCH)

This three-story grand shingle-constructed home, the L.H. Pontius House on Lincoln Street, was built in the late 1890s by one of Port Townsend’s early businessmen.

Not a great deal is known about him, but he must have been successful as his home is quite large and expansive ~ a testament to his wealth at the time. It was featured as an example of one of PT's very finest residences in 1890's "Port Townsend Illustrated."

This painting celebrates March’s blustery days and kite flying ~ picturing my husband, Doug, braving the elements with our niece and nephew, Kelly and Michael Barton.

I’ve been working on a painting in my third floor studio, but have taken a break to cheer on the merry kite flyers!

"Puttering at the Peach House" ~ (PORT TOWNSEND, WA • PAINTED JULY 2006 • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 8X10-INCH)

This pretty little two-story peach house is one of my favorites.

This painting is my second effort at painting the home (the first one, “Apple Pickin’ at the Peach House” was completed years ago in 1978).

I’m pictured with my husband, Doug, in the front yard (along with a few bird houses) doing what I enjoy most ~ painting!

I took a little bit of poetic license with the seaside background. Although the shore is a short walk from this house, it is actually located within a neighborhood of Port Townsend.

For more information on picturesque, seaside Port Townsend, visit their web site at www.ptguide.com.

"Pretty in Pink " ~ (DETAIL OF PAINTING • PAINTED DECEMBER 1995 • ACRYLIC ON CANVAS • 8X10-INCH)

This ornate little two-story house, located on Clay Street in Port Townsend, was built in 1889 by Emma Barthrop upon the death of her husband. Also a business woman, Emma had managed the booksotre and variety shop owned by her husband, George's parents.

With it's beautiful stacked bay windows, It is a shining example of Italiante Villa styling and was meticulously restored in the 1970s.

This portrait of it was completed as a Christmas gift for my friend, Jennifer Jasper Petras. She is pictured on the front lawn with her best buddy, MaryAnne. I am the happy pie-baker in the window. My big black cat, K.C., is acting as the “welcoming committee” on the front sidewalk.

For a view of the entire painting in larger format, click on the image of the artwork above.

"Happy Times at the Hill House" ~ ( 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.

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 on this page (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

E-MAIL: artist@pattisimpsonward.com

WEB SITE: www.pattisimpsonward.com