Fun Detour - Art Collecting

I grew up in a home where art was there on the walls – not multi-million-dollar auction-house pieces, but works by regional artists who had a sense of style. That tradition stuck with me and has become something I have shared with my kids. Art brings beauty and memories into our lives. Most of the pieces I have collected over the years were chosen because of how they made me feel: the subject, the style, a personal connection to the artist, or because the piece captured something I did not want to forget.

Photo I took of print by Vicki Lynn Bowden in 2019 while I was staying at the Inn at Manchester.

When I was staying at the Inn at Manchester, I noticed an art print near the back entrance that kept pulling me in. It was titled God Bless Manchester by Vicki Lynn Bowden. A cold, dark night scene, with a warm white church in the snow, one family walking up the path, and another person arriving in a horse-drawn sleigh. I paused to take a few photos of it before leaving.

When I got back home, I searched online, hoping to find a copy. I learned that the artist had sold some pieces through Northshire Bookstore the previous winter, but little else turned up. Every so often – especially after a Vermont trip or in the quiet of winter – I would search again. Once, we even stopped by the Manchester Center ReStore just to see if one might show up.

The copy of the print I purchased and framed myself on my wall.

Then last summer, we were back in Vermont. Cade, Liberty, and I stopped at the H.N. Williams Store outside Dorset – a family favorite for maple syrup, candy, and small gifts to bring back to family and friends. I especially enjoy the Tall Cat Coffee from a local roaster. The store is way bigger than you think it is when you first walk into it. As I was looking around when I spotted a familiar style on the wall. It was a Vicki Lynn Bowden print. Off to the side, they had a portfolio of her works, and there it was God Bless Manchester.  

I was delighted. Maybe I had walked past in the before. Maybe not. But in the end, it did not matter. I had found it – and it had found a place in our home.