Dear bloggers,

Please join me in wishing a very happy birthday to Rose Lamb, Matt’s beloved wife, who celebrates her birthday this weekend.

Rose is a vital part of Matt’s life, and her love and support have sustained him through the challenges and celebrations of more than five decades of marriage.

"If it weren't for Rose," he has often said, "I'd be long in my grave." 

They have known one another “from the womb,” as their mothers were childhood friends, were married within a year of one another, and were pregnant within a month of one another.

Rose is inextricable from Matt’s past, present, and future, and her sparkling mixture of geniality, class, warmth, support, toughness, and tenderness have been, and continue to be, an inspiration to all who know her.

This year, as he has worked on his art in Florida, Matt has benefited from Rose’s help in the studio.  As Matt's arthritis has periodically acted up, Rose has helped him with many of the demanding tasks that come with the physical manipulation of the materials associated with painting.

As a testament to her contribution, Matt has asked Rose to add her signature to his on the back of the Florida 2009 paintings that she has helped him with.  This is the only time that anyone other than Matt himself has ever signed his paintings.

We are in the process of scanning a few pictures of Matt and Rose working together in the studio, and will post those photos in the coming week.

Rose -- from Matt, from your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and other family and friends and all of us in the online community, we wish you a very, very happy birthday!

Richard
Blog editor