We hoped if we named her she wouldn't scare the children.
After becoming enamored with her sister Vaquera Sudoeste in a restaurant in Steamboat last spring, I couldn’t get her out of my mind. While we originally envisioned our own original Vaquera Sudoeste greeting visitors in the entry of our new house, I just couldn’t wait any longer, so we pulled the trigger: pun intended.
I wouldn’t classify us as art people--I don’t feel confident discussing, critiquing or pretending like I know anything about art. Honestly, we are typically drawn to relatively safe, neutral nature images, but something about this fierce woman hanging in our home seemed fitting. I mean we have two little girls, what better art to display than an image of a strong woman who can obviously stand up for herself?
That said, I second-guessed getting her for a variety of reasons: Would she look right? Was she too bold, too aggressive, too much for our home?
And then I decided I just didn't care, it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks if when I see her she makes me smile. Even Linden, our two-year-old, gazed up at her adoringly and said, “Thanks for getting Grimsemelada, mommy. I looooove her so much” (though, admittedly, she can usually be found in hand-me-down princess pajamas IN PUBLIC, so her sense of style is up for debate).
All of this is to say that like the things you put in your house, building a home should be about you. It’s so easy to become consumed with current trends and what other people might think and even resale that we get too big, too extravagant and too detached from our houses. So whether you are building a home, or just filling it with things, do what makes you happy now. Choose things that make your house your unique home, and forget about living up to someone else’s expectations.
And while you’re at it, go check out Dolan Geiman’s work, the guy is amazing: it's hard to tell from the picture, but Griselda is actually a paper collage and her frame was custom made by Dolan as well.