** * Our Life with 13 Kids * **: Anthony's Fine Arts & Antiques

Wednesday, February 11, 2026

Anthony's Fine Arts & Antiques

I've been thinking about art all day. This morning, I went downtown to Anthony's Fine Arts & Antiques, as part of a surprise b-day gathering for one of our good friends Amy. It is one of her favorite places. She thought she and her husband were just going down there for fun, but then she saw that all of her kids were the and a big group of friends. So it was fun to surprise her and I was amazed at that gallery! It was incredible. As we were waiting for Amy, the curator there, Micah Christensen, told us about a Normal Rockwell painting that was behind us. I think he said it's worth 2.5 million, but this says it auctioned for $50k in 1990, so maybe it's not that much. After Amy arrived, we asked Micah to tell her about it too, which he did, then he offered to show us a few more of fun items they have and he ended up giving us a little tour. (You can view the collection here.) He showed us a 16th Century Spanish Vargueño Cabinet with Limoges Enamel Drawer Fronts, price $160,000, wow!

Next we went to some Utah LDS items. He showed us a stitching of the Nauvoo Temple made by Ann Eckford. She was only 11 when she did that, but he said the quality of stitching such straight lines was especially extraordinary. That inspired me too - it doesn't matter how young or old we are, we can create works of beauty that will be enjoyed and treasured by others! Next he showed us a painting by Albert Bierstadt called Little Cottonwood Canyon! "That's the area that we are all from!" I told him.

Yeah, I want to paint nature - flowers and landscapes. Our neighbors first visited this gallery like 5 years ago when their friend, Brad Teare, had an exhibit. This is one of his paintings - Grand Monument.

Next we went upstairs. There was a painting titled "Light" by Gabriel Cornelius von Max was purchased from Alex Trebek's art collection. Micah said Trebek was religious and this painting was in his bedroom.

The last thing he showed us was walnut paneling from a French Master Bedroom, all put in place to make a very ornate living space. The walnut alone was $700K, and the carving in the wood made it even more unique and rare. He said Brandon Sanderson considered it briefly for an underground room (secret lair!) he's making, but decided it was too dark.

After the gallery, we went to Gourmandise for lunch. I'm grateful for so many wonderful ladies and friends who influence me and have blessed my family in so many ways!

Very grateful for our little corner of heaven here in Granite. Melodie came here to watch Katharine for me while I was gone. Katharine peed on the floor. Mel was a champ to clean it all up.

Mel painted a waterbottle for a friend and K sat close by and painted with her.

It was good to go out with friends today cause I've been in a bit of a slump, feeling a lack of desire and yeah, just in a funk. Abi trying to apply for passport cause she lost her old one, but I haven't been helpful to her as she's trying to figure it out. Sorry Abi, in a funk. Corey's been working a lot lately, trying to make up for so much time off over Christmas and skiing and the wedding.

Yesterday there seemed to be a good window to go on a ride, and I felt like I should go cause, per the weather forecast, and cause I might not be able to go again until Friday (sleet tomorrow and Thurs) but I didn't feel like going. I took O&D to the church for activity days yesterday (they went to the firestation) and after dropping them off, I drove up the canyon for a short hike from the Lisa parking lot, up to the ruins and down techy. It was icy, which made me feel ok about not having gone on a ride. One good thing about sticking around home was that yesterday I finished blogging November, yay go go me. Katharine's friend Scarlett came over to play yesterday at 1:30 too, they are cute little friends. Last night the kids were being cute and silly tonight - I think they grew shorter??