Inspiration: Rose Fisher

Rose Fisher might have been my earliest creative inspiration, after my parents and siblings.  She's Aunt Rosie to me, my mother's sister.  Both of my grandmothers and all my aunties filled my childhood with handmade quilts, clothes, toys or treasures, but I spent more time with Aunt Rose than any of them, so whenever I threatened to run away, it was usually to Aunt Rosie's house I planned to go.  (Probably inspired by this threat) Mom actually did trade me to Aunt Rose for one of her kids at least once, though only for a week or so.

Rose Fisher's home reflects her beautifully.

As an adult, it's been my good fortune that she and my darling Uncle Dwayne decided to build a house just outside the town where my parents live, so when I go to visit my folks, running away to Aunt Rosie's house is actually quite easy.

Who needs HGTV when they can watch Rose Fisher tackle a makeover?  If she must buy things, she finds great deals, both retail and yard sale.  However, you might be surprised to know that neither the headboard, nor the paintings above it were purchased.  Yeah, she's that kind of talented. 

We've never gone yard saling together, but we have spent many hours swapping stories of our adventures in junk hunting and the remakes that followed.  Apparently, it runs in the family!

A cozy corner in her bedroom is enhanced by more of her artistry.

What would you do with a small herd of elephant plant/candle stands on clearance?  Rose Fisher added a couple of plywood circles and some upholstery to create this charming footstool.

Windowless bathroom?  Ha!  No sledge hammer required to open up the view.  Aunt Rose says she did use a sponge though, to stamp the bricks, then just painted in the shadows.  I've always masked off and painted mine, but  I think I'll try her much quicker method next time.

 Aunt Rose primarily paints in watercolor, but she also does a little sculpting, a lot of sewing, and some mixed media stuff.  I don't have any pictures of some of her sillier art (much of my sense of silly also comes from this side of the family), but here are some of her fish and flowers...



The iris painting hangs above this little restyled gem.   You can find similar pieces at tag sales and thrift stores, and paint them completely, or just dress them with bits of color on the detail parts.

 Did you notice the styling trick here?  (Sorry for the split shot, but the full length ones only showcased my amazing ability to move the camera while pressing the button.)  The blades of grass in the brass ewer overlap and repeat the leaves in the painting, drawing your eye down through the composition of the entire corner.  This kind of detail might be why everyone raves about how beautiful her home is.  It's not about buying pricey things, which Rose rarely chooses to do.  It's about composing the things she displays into groupings that tell a story, and she does this exceptionally well. 

This little dresser, painted the same colors as the accent table, was strie'd on the sides, and combed on top.  The effect is timeless.

Close-up of the combed top.

So, does artistic talent run in the family?  Yes.  But more important is the willingness to take the time to create beauty with whatever is at hand, coupled with the willingness to make mistakes.  Rose and I have both found that when we can convince our friends to just try it for themselves, most of them are delighted to discover that they have more creativity than they ever imagined, and that the goofs that happen along the way just make the stories more interesting.  So, instead of fantasizing about running away to Aunt Rosie's house, try giving yourself permission to play decorator in your own abode!