George Boutwell’s

FIRST SNOW


Painting completed in: 1990

Christmas 1990. When our daughter Kimberlee was little, she was a frail, sickly child and was six when I saw her standing on a chair, watching snow fall for the first time in her life, unable to go out in it because of an illness. A year or so later, Kimberlee had her tonsils removed and became a vibrantly healthy young lady who went on to run marathons in High School. When I painted this we needed money desperately and I sold it to Dr. Ralston Gober and his wife Linda from Corsicana, Texas. The Gobers hung the painting in their daughter Ellen's room because they said that Kimberlee and Ellen looked a lot alike and were about the same age. During the seventeen years that have passed I've often regretted selling this painting that Martha so hoped she would get to keep, and had on occasion shared my regrets with Dr. & Mrs. Gober. To my great surprise Linda Gober appeared with the painting at one of my shows this past summer and told me that their daughter Ellen, like our daughter Kimberlee, had grown up and left home. She said that Ellen had agreed that everyone would be happier if Martha had the painting. So we traded for one of my new paintings and I hid the painting to give to Martha on her birthday and I believe it was the most special birthday present I've ever given her!