Tapestry

Oil Painting by Claire J Kendrick 10×20

Tapestry is a painting born not from any single moment, but from the slow, subtle layering of experiences. It’s about arriving somewhere as a newcomer—unsure, untethered—and looking back decades later to realize you’ve become part of the fabric. It’s a meditation on place, people, and how the passage of time binds us in ways we never anticipate.

When I moved here, I didn’t know anyone. The streets felt historic but distant. But over twenty years, friendships formed, creative circles overlapped, and I began to see how tightly knit the community truly is.

That realization took shape in the historic art district around Aviles, Charlotte and Marine Streets—a tucked-away corner of the city where many artists, myself included, have lived, worked, and exhibited. It’s a place where you pass neighbors on the sidewalk and always stop to talk; where someone’s gallery is always open. Much of that spirit was fostered early on by people like Dan Holiday, a leatherworker who owned property on Aviles St and Charlotte St and made it a point to rent to artists and artisans. His workshop, with its hand-stitched goods and occasional eruptions at unsuspecting tourists, was one of many colorful threads in the creative neighborhood that took root there.

I first met Dan when I commissioned a pair of sandals. As a fashion designer, I naturally had a clear vision of what I wanted—but Dan, with that knowing glint in his eye, had an even clearer one. In the end, his version won. I still wear them today.

The week Dan died, I attended a book presentation on Courtney Hunt, hosted by architectural historian Dr. Wayne Wood. Wayne and his late wife were collectors of Courtney’s work, some of which they later donated to the St. Augustine Art Association. I came to learn that Cortney Hunt like Dan was an artist but also a keen pilot.

Years ago, I attended concerts in Wayne’s home and admired Courtney’s paintings from afar, never realizing how closely intertwined those names would become with my own creative journey. Anne Packard, an early mentor in my career often spoke of Gerry Farnsworth. At the time it was part of a storied lineage of coastal painters, and now I see echoes of that same legacy all around me here in Florida.

Courtney, too, had his mentors—Gerry Farnsworth, for one, who also had connections to Anne. And then there’s Joe Taylor, who painted alongside Courtney and called him a “master painter”. I remember painting with Joe out at Mayport, his van parked under a striped awning, stocked with a fridge so we could enjoy a cold drink after a long session. The painting was serious, but the camaraderie was just as vital.

Looking back now, I wonder how many of these people knew each other—how many shared cups of coffee, critiques, and conversations that left ripples I now feel without ever having been there. Dan may very well have known Courtney. That’s a thread I’ll have to follow someday.

Tapestry is not a tribute to any one artist. It’s a recognition of the shared spaces, the overlapping stories, the eccentricities and passions that root us to a place. These moments, these people—they are what make a city feel like home.

I am reminded of an interview I did for Ancient City Compass – Worley Faver, Gallery owner (potter and good friend of Dans) and myself were interviewed by Richard Dole Photographer and writer. Those photos taken in the Aviles St gallery, I’m sitting in the window of Dan building wearing the sandals made by Dan. The connections keep circling

https://ancientcitycompass.blogspot.com/search/label/Aviles%20Street

If you have a memory or story connected to this corner of town, or one of the artists mentioned, or a simple moment when you felt the threads of place and community came together, I’d love to hear it. Feel free to share your reflections in the comments.