Mary Barr Munroe

During 1886-87, a hundred years before I came to So. FL, Mary Barr Munroe decided to make Coconut Grove her winter home. Before long, she made her winter home a permanent home.  She stamped the Grove with distinctiveness that continues to this day.  The Grove was then called the Frontier in a virgin land.  She was the daughter of Amelia Barr, famous 19th Century novelist.

Mary Barr was ahead of her time.  Her kindness to everyone, including Indians, fishermen, and black families, made her one of the most popular women in the community. An arden ecologist, she was known to snatch egret feathers off the hats of popular ladies, making her most unpopular. She never had a child of her own, but she helped raise all the local children, regardless of color.  Her straw hat was her trademark.

Part of our So. FL history.
Blessings,
Janet
Visit Paint Party Friday to see other artists.

Jeanine

Last week I sketched her house.  Now I have sketched her.  She has been my girlfriend since 3rd grade. We have been through a lot of living throughout the years.  We both have 2 children. She has always lived away from me. I did go up to see her and her hubby in the northeast last June. Our friendship is long and solid.  She is my Best Friend and like a sister.  Sister/Friend.  I have two more Sister/Friends but Jeanine is by far the longest Sister/Friend I've had almost all my life.  God Bless her.

Happy Paint Party Friday.

Blessings,

Janet

Girlfriend's House in MA

The huge rocks built around the sloping yard, the forest behind the house, all have the same New England characteristics.  The impressiveness of the historic houses we found that had the year the house was built as the house numbers.  The history of New England and the scenery blows me away.

Happy Paint Party Friday.

Blessings,
Janet

Zelda Fitzgerald

Zelda Fitzgerald is one of my favorite authors.  Even her husband used her diaries for his writings in his claim to fame as a famous author.  She was brilliant.  Her star shone so brightly and then was put out so quickly.  I have several sketches of her, this is one of them.

Paint Party Friday has so many different artists. Thank you Kristin and Eva.
Blessings,
Janet

IL Country House Sketch

Since I have recently begun to sketch again, I pulled out a few sketches from the past.

This is the house my late hubby and I built in 1975. We lived there until 1987 and moved to FL.

The woods you see are behind and around the house and the garden, unseen, is to the right. 

The children had 2 dogs - dogs and doghouses are to the left in the picture.

It was a beautiful house, made to look old, on a 1 acre of ground.

The old Hickory tree, struck by lightening, smelled wonderful in the fireplace in winter.

I pencil sketched the house from a picture and my memories.

Please join in looking at other artists creativity on Paint Party Friday.

Blessings,

Janet