The Spirit of Port Townsend Itself…At the Barr’s, : )
clectic zest for life, versatility, love of friendship and extreme talent, would be core elements of the Spirit of Port Townsend -incarnated in a house-hold… The Barr’s.
In arriving, there’s an amazing view -and a most unique bronze bell, cast by Don -for your heart to ring!
And the Poetess hostess -accompanied by her astounding giant poppy flowers – and the tiny mustard flowers-gracious and svelte- comes promptly to welcome her guests…
And these guests are not the only guests.
When we compliment her luscious garden -beautiful, yet respectful of the wild flowers (which host the bees which pollinate flowers, vegetables and fruits) she shows us her Mason orchard bee blockl: It hosts a myriad of hornets, and bees (specialists in pollinating!) in a clever construction that could be made with half an empty milk carton, packed with drinking straws…Her “condominium” is made of a block of wood -with tiny holes drilled in it for the insects to “nest”- hangs conveniently under the back porch, facing South, (and has a breath taking view of the water! ha-ha-ha)…Very enticing for the insects -who come to nest here very successfully, safely increasing their kind, and aiding to the pollination of the world…Knowledge, good will, and a tiny milk carton!!!
Joy!…Our hostess not only knows what we know…She’s already done something about it!!!
Don, the host, seems always ready for the party of life!
Everything here has a place -and a story to tell…
Intriguing and fascinating her multi-drawer planner (loot from a sale in town?)
Whether wild plants, insects, minerals, delicate flowers, “Sheba” and “Pako” (dogs) or human friends, we all feel “at home” in their warm welcome…
And the art from their own studios-and those of their friends -like David North’s upper left- (and Don’s painting, “Kirin”) keeps on “singing” on their walls, proliferous and irresistible…
In her studio, Jackie confides to have quilted once!…
Inspired by her daughter’s quilts…
“Quilted ONCE. and quilt no more!”…Says the versatile artist with an amused grin in remembering…
No more quilting…Yet she personally “submerged” (with muslin fabric – on wooden frames) her whole office in water -to match her window view of the Discovery Bay -below!
I guess being close to Protection Island (where so much fauna finds refuge) A mineral bird with flowers nested once in Don Barr’s inspired mind…
Yet: there were only pebbles before Don…
“Pako” the dog, pays attention…Every pebble has a fiction story to share…if you just listen…
And there’s “no stone unturned” through the walks of life for Don. He listens well to them all; and befriends them. Life-long-lasting friendship!
With Don and Jackie, you can’t be sure if that’s really a gem of glass hanging by the window -or if they have ACTUALLY materialized a drop of water…
Or… is it…a flying pig!!!?
zv
A minimum corner becomes precious under their light…
Nature does not hold “still” in their company… And you feel you should watch the canvas carefully, for the fruits will grow on Don’s porcelain planters!
Even the rare and complex “begonias-escargot” feel at ease here…
At the Master Gardener’s tip…
On the corner shelves in the dining room, sits many an individual from town -from the time when Jackie studied the naked human figure for her sculptures!
“Yes!…S/he is sitting in my dining room!” thinks Jackie sometimes while greeting someone walking Down Town…
Colors, textures, freedom and profound delight, meet bright talent on these shelves…
And Don too, explores shapes, sizes, textures…wraps them in his own kind of bliss and there you are!…A meaningful turquoise piece of art -so social, it comes in pairs!
And on the table, not a fish…a coral!!! A coral, aging its coral color away…
Could be “a purple feather in her cap” …yet it is a bloom in the Gardener’s hands.
And jazzy blues on blues and greens combine in a secret dance…
Two men captured in the mirror, true…
But here, the capturing gets even richer: a spark of joyful mischief in Don’s regard -while he enjoys the life of his toy-horse creation…
And there is something magnificent in the freedom to be a child
Riding water-green wheeled horses into castles (that could be sighs?)
A sword-like piece of extremely unique art, is based on traditional Mexican silver “milagros”, ornated with -once red- hair-locks of the son of the artist, their daughter, Christine Barr…
And just by it, Don’s ceramic prototype of the bell he built to be rang with the heart…
And it all makes sense, when you realize these horses were created as “Valentine’s” cards from Don to Jackie… Only the truly courageous -it seems- break free to love…
A beloved -then- 16 year old artist Jason Gould, friend of theirs, has become a well know artist nowadays…
This shadowbox was a gift -from Lalagay Owen-Jones, another Port Townsend Artist.
The gift came from Lalagay -on a May day morning- to the house porch -together with a bunch of wild flowers- to greet the Barrs at their return home from travel. The piece is meant to be Port Townsend itself!… Clouds over the waters and all!
Knowledge, deep love, and extreme simplicity in this other magnificent clay horsie -by Don…
Again the magical conjure of a castle dream…
And for those valiant, love is no challenge!…Here the 50th anniversary present that Don offered Jackie – close to 10 years ago…
And granddaughter Chanda graces this wall at her Grandpa’s!
Mysterious and legendary, Don brings to our attention the fact that these superb African elephants, can walk into the darkness of extinction…Unless we all care!
And friendship blooms at the door top in this portrait of George, the Alaskan fisherman…
Here again, from Don, a local High-School teacher’s portrait…
And in Don’s ceramics, we catch a splendid salmon -even without trying….
And, as Don captured it- a fish with no longings of water -is he the essence of water-life itself?
And “Pako” -Anna and Peter Quinn’s dog, feels at home with three
of Jackie’s hand painted cushions to support him- rests where colors most favor him. Artistic dog, maybe?
All has a value and a tempo, a neighborhood, a well being. All brings healing to eyes and soul…
Then Don explains that “When the artist has no one else to paint, an auto-portrait is the thing to do…”
Also, one day he said: “That, my Granddaughter, will come to happen when pigs fly”…And they did!
They always do, in the end…
But, please don’t take my word for it!… You may “meet” Don “personally” at http://www.dbarrpaints.wordpress.com
Blog post proudly presented by Huber’s INN Port Townsend… www.StayInHubersINN.com
…Your “Green” Bed and Breakfast in Port Townsend, Washington. We love serving all people, coming to the scenic Opympic Peninsula. Tourists, neighbors, visitors, or Winter Olympiads enthusiasts… Centrum patrons,, Ft. Worden friends, gourmets “foodies”, vegetarians, vegan eaters, hikers,sailors,divers, canoers,fisher people, When it comes to fun , vacations and festivals, we are Port Townsend is The Leader… come and EnjoyPT!
Your blog theme looks cool. What template did you use ?
WordPress : )
the name is “sliding door”