Edward Hopper American, 1882–1967 Ground Swell 1939 Oil on canvas National Gallery of Art Washington, D.C. If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration.” ~Nikola Tesla; inventor & physicist “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…” ~Proverbs 23:7; KJV
I’ve been taking art classes on and off for a couple of years. And, I really enjoy painting from my own photographs; however, my art teacher as well as others have suggested that I also paint the old masters (e.g. Claude Monet) and other works of art that I admire. These art studies are for educational purposes only and allow […]
La Cité Du Vin Glass bell jars emitting aromas, interactive maps loaded with video-game technology, and sleek tasting rooms…Welcome to Bordeaux’s new Cité du Vin, which mayor Alain Juppé has proclaimed a “Guggenheim to wine.” Devoted to the history of wine civilization, the Cité du Vin is a glorious, high-tech immersion in the world’s wine cultures. There are 19 sections […]
The water garden at Giverny and Château Carbonnieux October 2017 The Waterlilies Musée de l’Orangerie Paris, France “Here and there upon the surface, with a strawberry blush, lie the scarlet heart and white edges of a water lily. Further on, many more flowers, but paler, rougher, with a coarser grain, wrinkled and haphazardly scattered in such a […]
Farmgirl 2017 RdV Vineyards Delaplane, Virginia If someone asked me five years ago what I’d be doing today, I really don’t think my answer would have included writing a blog, taking art classes/painting, and pursuing my WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust based in London) Level 3 Award in Wines and Spirits. But, here I am. Five years ago, […]
“The Creator made Italy from designs by Michelangelo.” ~Mark Twain “Tuscan Landscape,” 14 x 18 acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas by Tonya R. Hengerer Farmguy and I celebrated our 20th anniversary in Tuscany this year, and I believe Mark Twain’s quote is spot on, because I took over 1000 photographs during our short time there. Everywhere I […]
Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli, 1486 Uffizi Gallery Florence, Italy Liberty of Poetry by Pio Fedi, 1870 Santa Croce Florence, Italy Atop playwright Giovanni Battista Niccolini’s tomb in the basilica of Santa Croce is a statue remarkably similar to New York’s Statue of Liberty. Both depict a woman in neoclassical robes with a crown of […]
I love farm animals. So, you won’t be surprised to learn that I also appreciate artwork that features these sweet creatures. Over the years, I’ve collected a number of beautiful, whimsical, and funky pieces from local artists. These lovely works of art never fail to bring cheer and a smile every time I see them. I hope they’ll make you […]
A special thank you to my mother-in-law, Lynn Burke for sharing Louise Pentz’s art and inspiring journey. This short film tells the story of Louise Pentz’s evolution as an artist. Thirty years ago, she began making functional pottery, such as teacups and dishes, but eventually lost her passion for it. Then, one day, she decided to look up the […]
“The arts and humanities define who we are as a people. That is their power—to remind us of what we each have to offer, and what we all have in common. To help us understand our history and imagine our future. To give us hope in the moments of struggle and to bring us together when nothing else will.” ~Former […]
My name is Tonya, and I grew up on a 300-acre farm in rural Virginia that has been in my family for over 100 years. After graduating from college, receiving my master’s degree in speech and language pathology, and living and working in a small city for six years, I decided to return to the place of my childhood. Here, in this rural area, on this patch of green, where for four generations my family has farmed, gardened, and lived, I, too wanted to be a part of this continuity. As a fourth generation farmgirl, I have many interests that not only include, but also go beyond the basics of farming, gardening, sheep and chicken-keeping. It is all of this and more that I plan on sharing in this blog.
fourth generation farmgirl 