People say Northern Minnesota is just fields, trees and lakes. No place is the exact same, there’s differences in every scene, and with everyone’s point of view. People have different point of views when viewing artwork, especially when dealing with nature. One painting which caught my eye when walking through the art museum was created in 1957, by Rick Lundsten, called “Sweet Memories.” The picture reminded me of the familiar places in Northern Minnesota.

I personally couldn't just focus on one specific part of the image. A small, white cabin had a green shingled roof, with only one blue tinted window. A sliding door led off to a light, wood colored deck. Near the deck was a dock, which was on land instead of in the lake. The lake was blue and in some areas it is darker than night where the shade runs over. Along the shoreline, some areas go from having tall grass to being dirt. The dirt areas go from dark sand near the lake due to being moist and lighter colored away from the water. On one of the large dirt places near the front of the painting, there are multiple grass patches. In one of the dirt areas three black, ashy logs hovered over the fire pit. Behind the fire pit a sunflower yellow canoe leans against the woods. The grass in front of it makes it look like it's been there for awhile. Farther away and past the cabin a red boat sits on the shore, ready to set sail onto the lake. The only thing close to the red boat are the stone thick woods. Birch and oak trees vary in color from dark green to light green and brown. Above the tree line there is a clear, blue sky.
   

The painting looks like a sunny day in early June. The art piece is a realistic oil painting. It uses thin brush strokes which blend the dark and light colors perfectly together. The landscape looks uninhabited at the moment because there are no people seen, making the foliage seem thick. The image presents a calming feeling providing relaxation like there's no care in the world. The calm image feels as though everything is still waking up from the night. The realistic artwork makes me feel motivated to put the objects in use. I can't wait to go to the lake this summer, sit on the sand with my toes in the water, and staring off to the trees in the distance. Being able to go swimming or tubing in the afternoon with the sunshining.

One thing this painting reminds me of is the lake a mile away from my house. It has thick woods with grassy areas along the shoreline. Behind the tall grass is a thick patch of trees around the entire lake, except where houses peek through. Some of the lake houses have docks on land, some in the water. There is an old, wood shed in the woods near the water with thick grass. I have many memories of being next to the lake. I remember going fishing with my family and tubing behind a jetski. Going over the large waves in the lake overfilled me with excitement while my hair blew in the wind, and holding onto the tube handles for dear life.

The people who own this place must have many memories. There’s a dock near the house, where the father took his children to catch their first fish, while the mother stood on the deck drinking a glass of lemonade. The family took the boats out onto the lake in the late afternoon during the summer, right after they had a barbecue for supper. This little place in the woods is hidden from other homes, but yet is open to its own surrounding. The hidden away home holds many memories to a family. They are memories that will be cherished as the people age, always remembering the little house near the lake.