North of the Tennis House by Joseph O. Holmes

Surprise! It's Sara this morning. We have quite a week in front of us so we're kicking things off a little early—taking a look back as we anticipate all there is ahead.

We proofed North of the Tennis House by Joseph O. Holmes when we were readying to open The Urban Wilderness at the JBG. Back then, to celebrate the show, the snow, the holidays, and everything that keeps us warm and cozy through the winter, we released The Sledding Hill at Dusk. We delayed sending this particular image out into the world, stashing it away for the dreariest of days when it could emerge as a silver lining. I'm happy (in a twisted sense, I guess) to say that today is the day!

We're not alone in looking to Joe's work for comfort. As the show was closing, James Danziger of Chelsea's Danziger Projects, as well as the always delightful blog The Year in Pictures, called on Joe's photos to remedy what he cited as the most depressing day of the year. He wrote:

Joe's pictures were taken in Brooklyn's Prospect Park, not Central Park, but they convey the same magical feeling of the urban metropolis transformed into a wintery Eden. And they're nearly all about dog walking! (As well as about light, and color, and composition.) Joe values may be old-fashioned—he's someone looking to find the sublime or the memorable in the everyday—but his pictures have a nice contemporary feel due to their color and scale. And the show is a sure cure for those January blues!

While today we're drenched in a dark downpour, fear not, the signs that spring is ahead are abundant. At the top of this list: Armory Arts Week—it's here! And we're just about ready to unfurl this year's Art Fair Survival Kits. Like last year's, they'll include a hand-drawn map by one of our stellar artists, pointing you to the best locales for art and other refreshments. More details to come tomorrow but here's where you can find us, starting this Thursday:

PULSE NEW YORK
125 W 18th Street, New York, NY
Booth #b-4
Thursday, March 3: 1 p.m.–8 p.m.
Friday, March 4 + Saturday, March 5: noon–8 p.m.
Sunday, March 6: noon–5 p.m.

Our 2011 NYC Art Fairs map—an opinionated guide to what matters and where to find the artists we adore—is also up and ready for your perusal. So, we'll hope to see you there. Jen will be back here, tomorrow. Till then!