I found a little piece of magic today

Today I visited one of the oldest art places in New England, The Florence Griswold estate. 

When you get there, you’re greeted by this big yellow Georgian-style mansion, Florence’s life-long home and later the birthplace of American Impressionism. 

Then a winding road takes you deeper into her vast property, revealing long stretches of grassy fields lined with colorful flowers, knobby trees and walking paths all bordered by the Lieutenant River. 

And within this magical place is a strong and rich art history.

Florence loved the arts and would house over 200 artists from the around the world at her home, from 1899 to the 1930s.

Those artists, known now as The Old Lyme Art Colony- were given the creative freedom to paint on her wall panels and doors within her home (which are GORGEOUS btw)….

as well as paint outdoors on her vast estate – capturing the gorgeous colors of the river, surrounding trees, and fauna.

Some of those paintings have gone to many museums and esteemed galleries, while others still remain, lovingly displayed in Florence’s home.

Whenever I come here, I feel I’m walking on sacred ground. Like I have been transported a hundred years into the past, seeing the land exactly the way those artists saw it too, losing myself in the scenery and capturing a tiny part of the enchantment with my painting mediums.

I made my way over to the grassy field and picked a shady spot by a tree, sat down, pulled out some crayons and paint pens, scanning the horizon for something interesting to capture. 

Almost immediately I spotted this old knobby tree that reminded me of a place that fairies would live in and decided to capture it. 

I couldn’t stop smiling while I worked on it. I think it captured a little bit of the magic I felt standing there. What do you think?

I painted for what felt like hours, feeling completely transported to a time where summers held secret wonders and the wind blew cooling kisses on my hot skin. 

Here, I feel most like myself, and my inner child comes out to play freely.

There’s a deep joy in that that almost always brings tears to my eyes. It’s exactly the kind of medicine my younger self needed.

I’d love to know—what place or activity helps you feel most connected to yourself? Hit reply and tell me. I read every response.

and with that, I’m off to continue painting.