20 years ago

Over twenty years ago while living in Philadelphia, my family and I enjoyed taking walks in Fairmount Park on Saturday mornings. Our destination? The Valley Green Inn. Though the historic inn was a restaurant, it resembled a unique art gallery. All the paintings hanging on the walls of the two dining rooms were different interpretations of the inn painted by various local artists.

In 1989 inspired by this artwork, I, too, painted the inn. At the time, I was very proud of the painting. But over the years the prized painting shifted from a prominent wall to the basement shelf.

In 2008

Twenty years later in 2008, I had an opportunity to revisit the Valley Green Inn. As I started my hike, the immense beauty of the trail once again captured my senses. A river lined one side of the trail and wooded hills lined the other. Along the way, tiny waterfalls trickled down over the rocks, tracing the contour of the land.

Finally, after hiking for two and a half miles, I spotted the inn up ahead. After taking pictures of the outside of the inn, I slipped inside to get another glimpse of the paintings. Leisurely, I wandered from painting to painting, marveling at the work of each artist.

Newly inspired, I looked forward to returning home to start a second watercolor. Upon completion after comparing the second painting to the first one, I realized how I had developed and matured as an artist over the last two decades. My hard work had really paid off.

Recently, I contacted the owner of the inn, inquiring if he would be interested in displaying a reproduction of my second painting in his restaurant. Surprisingly, he emailed me back on the very same day, saying, “Absolutely.” So now after all these years, my own artwork is exhibited in the gallery of the Valley Green Inn.

If you are ever in Philadelphia, I hope you can visit the Valley Green Inn.