A Day In Summer, Kaysville
LeConte Stewart - Oil on panel 1935
As a child I remember the sleepy days of summer in my hometown of Kaysville. On occasion, a kind old man could be found across the street from my house resting in the shade of the tall poplar trees. He could sometimes be seen having a bite to eat in his car or sketching in the open air. I remember having a conversation with him at some point in time, but any knowledge of topic has long since faded from recall. My juvenile mind did not realize the magnitude of this man and his talent but I was aware that he was an artist. I have always been a creative person and as I've grown older, have developed a love and appreciation of art, especially impressionism. I only wish I could have come to this realization when I had the chance to talk with him as he passed near my home.
The Utah landscapes of LeConte Stewart capture the essence of the quiet country life and remind me of my childhood neighborhood, before subdivisions and curb and gutter streets took over the local farms and pastures. The lovely little cottages and farms of the past are nearly extinct now but some continue to live in the images of the artist's creation. I wish I could close my eyes and leap into these pictures, like Burt's chalk drawings in Mary Poppins. Instead, I will have to settle for the dreams of the past that play through my memory from time to time.
The Utah landscapes of LeConte Stewart capture the essence of the quiet country life and remind me of my childhood neighborhood, before subdivisions and curb and gutter streets took over the local farms and pastures. The lovely little cottages and farms of the past are nearly extinct now but some continue to live in the images of the artist's creation. I wish I could close my eyes and leap into these pictures, like Burt's chalk drawings in Mary Poppins. Instead, I will have to settle for the dreams of the past that play through my memory from time to time.
