IN THEOREM

Maybe five or so years ago, I decided to collect theorem paintings. You know, little paintings, usually florals of fruit, done on off-white velvet. They aren’t exactly common, nor are they at all rare. There must have been a spate of them done in the 1980s and I seem to be the only one interested in obtaining them.

This oval floral one was painted by Sandy Honan. (How do I know? Because she added a sticker to the back of it.) I like that it has a swatch of wallpaper on the back, with little yellow flowers. Growing up, my bedroom had similar wallpaper—so I’m not sure if I bought this for the actual painting or the wallpaper on the back.

This little one (it measures 2 x 3 inches) was only a quarter at a sale not far from my house. Only it didn’t come with a frame. (Another yard sale find for yet another quarter.) It’s signed: J.M.

This basket of fruit is probably my least favorite painting, but I so love the frame it’s in, and the wallpaper on the back is nice, too.

This little heart painting (and its sister heart made of flowers) were $2 for the two. They were painted by Lynne M. Freeman. Oddly enough, ole Sandy (above) and Lynn are from the same town here in New York (Canandaigua). Did they know each other? Was Sandy Lynn’s teacher (or vice versa)? Did they take a class together? Questions I’ll never know the answers to, I’m afraid.

I’m not sure what kind of flower this is—a yellow poppy perhaps? But those sure don’t look like poppy leaves. This one is sighed (I think—I even put my glasses on to read it but wasn’t sure) Jone L. Reid. It definitely doesn’t look like Jane—but I’ve never seen Joan spelled that way, either.

What’s kind of sad about this one is that it was a gift that was sold at a yard sale. How do I know? There’s a typewritten note on the back. It says:

Hollie,

Thank you so much for being my Maid of Honor. It is really great having a friend like you. You’re someone I can talk to and depend on.

I hope our friendship continues to grow in the years ahead.

I’m glad you were a part of Mike’s and my special day, and I hope that everytime you look at this picture it will remind you of how beautiful it was.

Love,
Laurie

September 12, 1981

What made Hollie decide to part with the painting? Did her friendship with Laurie fall apart? Or, as usually happens, they just drift apart as the years mounted?

So far, I haven’t hung any of my little paintings. I’m waiting to find a few more and do a nice grouping. But I like to look at them sitting on my little green corner cabinet—and ponder where they came from.