Imagine my surprise when a side trip to see one of April Claggett’s paintings in a juried show revealed that an old friend I had known casually for years was an accomplished artist.  As it turns out, Joan Barrows had an entire lobby devoted to her stuff (in multiple media). Oil, photography, watercolor, and some plants.

In the lobby show, there were two works that particularly caught my eye, both in black and sepia oil.  One was a wren’s nest. It’s in the pile now. You can definitely sense Joan’s photographer’s eye here.

Joan Barrow's work.

I like the dark in this piece. The dark reminds me of some of Monet’s boat paintings. Funny how my memory of the nest piece as experienced in NH is different than its more sepia reality now.

I bid on (and won) a chicken too.

Joan does chicken.

One of my favorite aspects of our growing art collection is the pieces created by friends.