Summer often symbolizes freedom and growth. From school vacation and summer sleepaway camp in our youths to cross-country road trips or European adventures in adulthood, summer is the perfect time to escape the mundane and embrace fun and adventure.

Summer, and especially the solstice, is also a time for reflection, celebrating light and connection to the outside world. Ancient civilizations set the stage for this thousands of years ago and today many of those traditions continue with various summer festivals and celebrations.

One way we celebrate the season around here is through art! These seven works evoke the spirit of the season and have the power to bring the joys of summer into your home, even when the dreariest of winter days return.

“Happy” by Aileen Frick

After more than a year without travel, this summer may just be the season of wanderlust. Aileen Frick’s mixed-media collage of a shaded, welcoming restaurant balcony on a sunny day reminds us of stumbling upon a hidden gem while wandering the streets of a new locale.

Sit down and sip an Aperol Spritz, even if only in your mind, while taking in this relaxing scene.

Mixed media collage made with torn magazines, acrylic, oil and varnish
24” x 2” x 36”
$2,750.00

“Comic Book Glitch” Earrings by Diana Ferguson

Diana Ferguson’s “Petal to the Metal” series is filled with lightweight metal earrings. The layers of metal evoke tulips or clematis blooms, while the colors are bright and buoyant. The perfect earrings to wear to a backyard barbeque or beachy wedding, these earrings are festive and fun.

Mixed media earrings made with cotton rag watercolor paper, acrylic films and anodized aluminum
2” long, including sterling silver ear wire
$95.00

“Last Red Cloud” by Martin Blundell

In the summertime, the blistering heat of the day begins to fade as the sun sets. The cool breeze and dazzling colors bring peace and tranquility after the buzz of an active day. Martin Blundell’s painting evokes the serenity of the moment before the last bursts of color fade to midnight blue and black.

Oil on canvas
18” x 24”
$2,500.00

“Silver Bean” by Marie McCallum

Many of Marie McCallum’s pieces feel like images captured on a road trip across America. You can feel the midday sun beaming down from the cloudless sky behind the motorhome-cum-diner, and the striped umbrella in the foreground provides a shady oasis.

Oil on canvas
30” x 30” x 1.5”
$5,000.00

“Heads Up” by Priscilla Nelson

Priscilla Nelson’s pool paintings invite us to imagine the bliss of submerging in cool, crystalline water on a scalding hot summer day. The viewer remains underwater, enjoying the respite from the heat, while the swimmer pokes only her head out of the pool.

Oil on canvas
40” x 30”
$16,000.00

“Summer Days” by Gregory Sievers

Painter Gregory Sievers celebrates a pastoral vision of summertime in his canvas. You can almost smell the fresh earth and hear the babbling stream in this image. The peaceful vista featuring ambling cows and a tranquil sky is a reminder of the calming power of the natural world.

Oil on canvas
36” × 24”
$6,500.00

“Just Peachy” by Mac Stevenson

One of the joys of summer weather is partaking in the array of local produce. From sweet corn on the cob slathered with butter to juicy peaches, nectar dribbling down your chin, the season is a time to celebrate the bounty of the earth. Mac Stevenson’s bright, inviting canvas of bulging, perfect peaches reminds us of the culinary delights of summer.

Oil on canvas
22” x 28”
$2,700.00

For more inspiration, visit the Celebration of Fine Art Marketplace, featuring works by our artists throughout the year.