"Painted in 1945. My oft-painted little east (easel) window painted in the spring with apple trees in bloom, pink geranium in yellow pot, violets, lavender bottle, yellow glass hat, etc. on shelf, and edge of canvas showing in canvas corner. Bought in summer of 1945 by Mrs. R. R. Smith, 75 Elm St. Gardner, Mass."
"One of my most perfect windows."
Close friend, F. Earl Williams on a visit in 1945 brought along his new toy, Kodachrome color film. He would later give a series of slides to the Smithsonian from which we found this (left) picture of In the Spring on display next to its subject; the little east or orchard window arranged as it is in the painting. What a treasure, we only wish we had more than a sepia print of this painting which RSW noted as, "One of my most perfect windows."
Williams, an educator and once principal of Gardner (MA) High School, loved photography and had the good fortune of being one of the only people RSW permitted to photograph him. He took a great many pictures of Woodward, his studios, the Southwick and Heath Pasture as well as friends and family. We do not know where we would be today without them. You can read more about Williams on our Scrapbook Page devoted to him as well as a page solely dedicated to his PICTURES
This glass hat remains in the studio of the artist as does many of the items you see in the artist's window paintings. In fact, the Southwick Studio remains much the way it was in Woodward's day.