Picture This: Hearth & Home

January 17th, 2026

As winter settles in, the fireplace naturally becomes the heart of the home — a place where boots dry after a day on the slopes, conversations linger a little longer, and the glow of the hearth draws everyone closer. Stockings may claim their moment and Santa might make his annual descent, but once the embers fade and the season shifts, what remains above the mantel continues to quietly set the tone for the room.

In this edition of Picture This, we’re looking up toward the art that anchors a space gathered around warmth, ritual, and connection. The right piece above a fireplace does more than fill a wall; it becomes a focal point, a visual exhale, and a reflection of how you want your home to feel long after the last fire of the night has burned low.

PICTURE THIS:

Kenneth Peloke, “Emergence,” oil, 36″ x 72″

Kenneth Peloke’s “Emergence” feels perfectly at ease above a stone fireplace mantel, the long, horizontal format echoing the expansive sweep of a mountain horizon. Recently featured in Peloke’s Gallery MAR exhibition, “Battle Tested,” the piece carries an added sense of depth and resolve. Its striking black-and-white presence resonates with the natural palette of wood and stone, offering a calm yet powerful focal point that anchors the room with quiet strength. In a space that evokes a cozy, chalet-like retreat, the work’s thoughtful realism invites a moment of pause, like a breath taken after a long winter’s day.

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Pamela Murphy, “All Aboard,” oil, 32″ x 51″

Pamela Murphy’s “All Aboard” brings a sense of warmth and quiet narrative to the space above the mantel, settling naturally into a room that balances clean lines with timeworn textures. The layered surface and softly nostalgic sensibility play beautifully against the brightness of the plaster wall and the grounding presence of wood, offering a focal point that feels both fresh and familiar. At once gentle and grounded, the work lends the space a lived-in charm, like a story passed down and thoughtfully reimagined.

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Bridgette Meinhold, “Forget Your Perfect Offering,” encaustic, 47″ x 60″

Bridgette Meinhold’s “Forget Your Perfect Offering” brings a thoughtful, window-like quality to the mantel, its diptych structure and textured surface reflecting her ongoing exploration of light, memory, and landscape. Meinhold often describes her paintings as “an extra window in the house,” inviting the outside world in and encouraging quiet reflection—a sensibility that feels especially resonant in this bright, modern room with views of greenery beyond the glass. The layers and atmospheric presence of the work echo the way light and nature shape our experience of place, rooted in both the local terrain and her evolving artistic practice.

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KOLLABS, “Gardenia & Grace,” mixed media, 48″ x 48″

KOLLABS’ “Gardenia & Grace” brings a quiet tenderness to the wall above the fireplace, its soft earth tones offering a gentle complement to the room’s cozy decor and expansive light. The piece feels especially at home in a space shaped by winter views and natural materials, where its layered approach bridges the warmth of wildlife imagery with a modern sensibility. Calm and contemplative, it anchors the room with a sense of connection that feels both grounded and intimate.

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Hunt Slonem, “3 Range,” oil, 27″ x 16″

Hunt Slonem’s “3 Range” brings a lively spark to the mantel, its sunny energy lifting a space grounded in soft, neutral tones. The contrast between the work’s playful restraint and the room’s earthy calm creates a focal point that feels both lighthearted and refined. Framed in dark wood, the piece adds just enough structure to balance its buoyant spirit, settling comfortably into a setting defined by warmth and thoughtful simplicity.

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Matt Flint, “Entering Winter II,” oil, 54″ x 54″

Matt Flint’s “Entering Winter II” commands attention above the fireplace, the infusion of amber and aqua color in his work heightening the emotional charge of the wolf’s direct, unflinching gaze. Set within an airy, neutral space, the painting’s cool blacks, taupes, and flashes of aqua feel especially striking, drawing the eye without disrupting the room’s sense of calm. Both powerful and restrained, the piece introduces intensity and presence, transforming the mantel into a place of quiet confrontation and focus.

Written and Photoshopped by Veronica Vale