My personal love affair with art began at Southern Methodist University during my freshman year of college. I took the prerequisite Art History foundation course and decided early on that I really enjoyed researching and learning about all the different art periods over the ages. The spark was ignited, and it continued throughout college. When I moved to Chicago in my 20s, I decided to dip my toe in an actual art course for actual artists (what…me, an artist?!) at the American Academy of Art in the Loop. I remember thinking to myself when I registered, “well, here goes something.”
At the time, I was living in a high-rise apartment … on the 33rd floor … in a really cool Mies van der Rohe building … overlooking Lake Michigan … along the Gold Coast. Truly, it was one of those lucky dreams come true for this 20 something who was hellbent on creating a life well lived. I vividly recall heading to that class, walking straight down Michigan Avenue on Saturday mornings with my big black art portfolio in hand — thinking I was cat’s meow. I’m sure I looked extremely foolish. Then again, it was the 80s, I was young, and this was way before cancel culture could weigh in.
My first assignment was in the pencil medium. I had to draw a grid with 100 equally sized squares, and those squares had to transition from black to white in equal shade increments. I don’t know if I’m even describing the assignment accurately, but what I do recall is that I thought “easy peezy” to myself when the assignment was handed out.
In researching this experiment further, I found this info: “Working in black and white requires a subtler transition between light and dark areas which improves your ability to play with tone and develop subtlety and control.” Apparently with practice, your eye is supposed to pick out the darkest and lightest areas more quickly, helping you know which boxes need adjustment.
Easier said than done.
I sat in my apartment that entire weekend, with clouds passing by my floor-to-ceiling windows, penciling in those little boxes, then resting my eyes by staring at the horizon and clouds over Lake Michigan. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. It was so tedious, and needless to say, it would be my last course at the American Academy of Art.
Fast forward to Memphis a few years later. I was working at my ad agency, and one of my clients had asked me to go to Las Vegas to promote his product at the CES trade show. The night before I was scheduled to depart, I was walking in downtown Memphis near Beale Street (this was back when the city was much safer) when I passed by an empty warehouse. A painting of a Memphis cityscape hung in the window stopped me dead in my tracks. I loved it! I wrote down the artist’s name and phone number in the back of my checkbook, and decided I’d call her for more details after my trip.
As I boarded the plane the next day, I introduced myself to the passenger sitting next to me as I settled in. My client had purchased a ticket for her too, as he wanted her art displayed in the trade show booth in Las Vegas. Imagine my surprise when I learned her name was Janet Smith and realized she was the artist of the painting on display in downtown Memphis! Serendipity. I showed her where I’d written her name and number in my checkbook, told her I love that painting “Uptown” and agreed to start making payments immediately after she agreed to sell it to me.
I purchased my first serious piece of artwork before I purchased a place to display it. I think that’s confirmation that I’d been bitten by the art bug.
When I was married, we purchased a home in Minnetonka, MN and were delighted when some great new neighbors named The Galey’s moved in next door. Of course, Reid Galey was a talented artist from New Mexico and a local art teacher who had been recognized as an emerging artist to watch in Southwest Art magazine. I was eager to dip my toe back in the artist realm and found I loved it even more this time around. Reid Galey taught me about plein-air painting and impressionism and all things wonderful about the creative art of painting. He’d come over and help me with my art in progress, urging me to use broad brush strokes while painting the impression that appeared before my squinty eyes. Oh, how I loved his masterful approach to painting and his never-ending encouragement equally as much as I loved having Reid and Mary Beth as neighbors.
He told me I was a natural talent, and of course I chose to believe him!
During this time of my renewed love affair with painting, I found myself oddly enough painting my soon-to-be-ex-husband out of a painting of a photo in which he was front-and-center — a photo that beautifully showcased the majestic Ajax Mountain backdrop on a beautiful fall day in Aspen.
Surely this omission was a sign of my marital demise.
One day during this trying time, I walked over to Reid’s studio and immediately noticed a sketch he’d drawn on a canvas which would soon turn into one of his oil paintings called “Around the Last Turn.” As soon as I saw it, I felt as though this painting spoke to me and my pending divorce. I immediately identified with the lead horse making that last turn headed towards that finish line. I knew that this painting would be my second serious painting in my beginner’s art collection. It also wouldn’t be the last painting I’d buy from Reid Galey.
I actually have several of Reid’s paintings hung around my home now, and I love them all as much today as I did when I purchased them. Actually more. Reid passed away when he turned 40, and I always remember his joy and kindness when I see his paintings. They’re like a big hug from him in Heaven. Here is a little painting of Reid’s of the Teton mountains which sits above my desk … another one of my favorites.
I’ve noticed that art — in one form or another — usually shows up during important transitions in my life. After my divorce, I decided to immerse myself into the world of art once again. I took the summer off between jobs and enrolled in an intensive Fine and Decorative Arts Appraisal course at NYU which was filled with days spent at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was an amazing art-filled and fun-filled “Summer of Yes” (read all about it here).
After working in finance and technology for a decade, I moved back to Aspen for several years to clear my head and enjoy living a little bit more. I think I was dreaming of a more peaceful existence after a decade of working so hard. On my 45th birthday, I decided to take a stroll in the heart of Aspen and found another piece of art that made my soul sing which is exactly what art is supposed to do. My birthday present to myself was another piece of artwork that seemed to find me at just the right time; it was time for new dreams.
Shortly thereafter, my life would take another unexpected twist and turn when my father passed away. A move back down south to a small town in Mississippi would become a dream come true that I didn’t know even existed deep inside of me. After the first few years of shock and awe (never in a million years did this city girl think she would end up in a one stop light town, literally), I decided to “claim and name” my new life in the woods; thus, the “Peace Palace” was born. My end goal before I retire one day is to have an art studio, a workshop and an amazingly beautiful garden where I can create and create and then create some more.
After a decade of adjustment and surrender into this new slower paced life, I think I am ready to pick up the pace again.
Now at 58, I’m embarking on a renewed journey with Tookey Buxton, showcasing favorite vintage items for the home as well as jewelry which launched the Tookey Buxton brand several years ago (named after GrandmaTookey). I’m most excited about searching out new, unknown artists or beautiful vintage artwork — that makes my soul sing — to add to the mix.
My love affair with art continues, and I’m feeling that happy inspired feeling again after the last few dreadful Covid years. During my Summer of Yes, I learned so many interesting things by studying the masterpieces, and I purchased so many reference books which I’m sure will serve me well in this new endeavor. If there’s one thing I love, it’s learning the backstories, researching the marks, discovering the artists or brands, learning about the design techniques or eras and more. I could spend countless hours investigating the history of pieces I’ve acquired which has proven to me that time really does fly when you’re having fun. When possible, I’ll share that research and/or backstories of the vintage products offered on this site, whether that info is on the actual product page or one of these dedicated pages that will continue to expand:
I’ll be starting out small and just going with the flow, excited to see where this renewed journey leads. After all these years of marketing and sales and antiquing and art and travel and writing and painting and gardening and technology, I’m just combining it all into this one beautiful endeavor. I feel as though the pieces have finally fallen into place, and I’m putting all my passions to work in a way that I hope leads to continued fulfillment and creativity and overall success.
Mostly, I am excited to offer these carefully curated products to friends (old and new) who celebrate unique design and enjoy timeless decor — pieces that exude a little bit of fun and flair while maintaining a sense of quality and sophistication. Just like GrandmaTookey. Who knows where it leads, but admittedly, I’m really excited.
Thanks for following along on this journey of mine.
