Living with antiques: a lakeside retreat.

Picture an 1836 Greek revival farmhouse, thoughtfully sited on a sloping meadow embraced by expansive views of mountains and a lake. It is an ever-changing artful scene, for the natural forces of sun and cloud perpetually sculpt, shape, and modulate color, shifting and scattering patterns of light and shade. Reflections off the water enhance the effect two-fold. If you can, imagine a youngster spending the happiest days of his childhood on the shores of this lake, his biggest boyhood dream to someday live in this exact house. In time, that very dream came true for the grown man and his accomplished wife, who, over the years, have introduced a new aspect to the house and adjoining barn by choosing to live immersed in that diverse yet distinguishable art commonly known as folk art. Their appreciation is multifold. It is sensual--they both delight in the nuances of form, color, and surface. It is emotive--they cherish the moods, poignancy, and spirit expressed variously throughout the collection. And it is intellectual--for these always-curious collectors also relish the intriguing questions and perplexing conundrums that energize, entangle, and enlighten the study of American folk art. Articulate raconteurs and investigative reporters alike, they have helped give voice and vision to the field.

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Our couple began collecting in New England nearly half a century ago. Their focus and appreciation have always found ways to keep interest alive and the eye excited:

 
When we discovered early American folk art and painted furniture over 
forty years ago, the enthusiasm for collecting these unique and 
fascinating works of art was immediately kindled. We began by choosing 
objects that were contemporaneous with the eighteenth-century farmhouse 
that we acquired at that time. But as the years passed, and our 
knowledge and tastes broadened, we began to gravitate toward early 
nineteenth-century portraits and decorative pieces. Later the expanding 
collection fit more comfortably into the range of architectural 
ambiances offered by the nineteenth-century farmhouse and the spacious 
adjacent barn that we moved to when our family had been raised. The 
considerations that guide our decisions as collectors are: beauty of 
form and design, integrity of provenance, and originality of condition. 
We are attracted to color schemes that have been mellowed by age, and 
surfaces that have been warmed by many years of touch. We enjoy grouping 
pieces to highlight particular attributes, and then we periodically 
rearrange everything to stimulate fresh discoveries and renewed 
appreciation. 

The diversity of the holdings, which include furniture, paintings, textiles, sculpture, lighting devices, and toys, are brought into harmony through the common threads of sprightliness of form and expression and originality of condition. And there are deep pockets of particular interest:

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