When hubby and I were first married, we bought a ramshackle condo in need of – everything. It had ‘good bones’ (which is what we kept repeating to ourselves, to avoid the other pervasive thought – holy crap – we’ve made a HUGE mistake).
We did the newlywed nest-building and except for vacations where we’d tag along with my folks, or follow his family to the great Northwoods, we spent our time, funds, and energy on our home. We learned heaps and heaps of lessons about DIY do’s and don’ts and mostly, looking back, those were good times because we were compatible about our goals.
HOWEVER – it was stressful at times as we were mindful of the magnitude of owning real estate. Mistakes can be costly, and we made a few. (Note to readers: Do not attempt to install parquet hardwood flooring if you’re a beginner. It was nearly a marriage buster. That and wallpapering the smallest bathroom in the world. Just don’t do it.)
Given all of that, our families thought we were nuts when we’d save and scrimp in order to buy art for our condo. We adored our art-loving friends who’d tip us off when something REALLY cool was available. Learning about artists and their process was exciting and it felt very ‘adult’ to the two youngsters that we were.
Our friend Anne introduced us to Robert Kipniss and his lithographs, and we fell in love. Four decades ago, these seemed like foolish purchases, but we needed to bring these two prints home:
They’ve been fixtures in every house since the condo and for random reasons recently, I wondered if the artist was still alive. In Googling him, I found his website and learned he’s 91 years-old and still doing his thing. I love that. I also learned he started his creative life as a poet. Why am I not surprised? His loving landscapes ARE poetic.
Cheers to Robert Kipniss for the joy he’s brought this married couple for many years.
-Vicki ❤
Victoria Ponders 
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