This small painting is based on the street lamps at Wellesley College—the ones that lined the walking paths when I was a kid, sledding on the hills as the sun set. That steady pool of golden yellow against a blue evening sky is one of those images that stayed with me: cold air, wet mittens, and the feeling you still had time for one more run. It’s storybook lamplight—maybe even walk-through-the-wardrobe-to-find-it lamplight.

Details

• Original gouache painting on 100% cotton Arches archival hot press watercolor paper
• Artwork size: approx. 2.25" × 2.75"
• Paper size: approx. 3" x 3.75" with a soft natural border
• Finish: velvety matte with visible brushstrokes
• Signed and dated in pencil on the back
• Hinge-mounted with archival linen tape on acid-free backing, protected with glassine, and shipped flat in a rigid mailer.
  

Kindling Season

This piece is part of my Kindling Season collection—original paintings made to honor the season of gathering light, warmth, and transition: lamp-lit corners, early darkness, small rituals, and the comforts that matter when the days turn.

Framing & display

This piece is small on purpose. It works especially well floated in a simple 3" × 4" frame or 3.5" × 4.5" frame so the paper edge shows. Wood finishes or soft white both suit the palette. Or skip framing entirely and let it live on a shelf—next to a lamp, near your books, or on a tiny easel.