In Thom’s own words:  On a chilly October evening Nanette and I were invited inside a charming cottage similar to the one depicted in Open Gate, Sussex.  The elderly couple who owned the cottage had been so excited by the painting I was working on in the lane outside their home that they had immediately extended and invitation to “come inside for a warm-up.”  The toasty kitchen just inside the door was aglow from the fire in a small fireplace and the ample windows looked out over a garden that even in October was radiant with color.  Even geese couldn’t resist visiting such a delightful spot!”

Open gates are an invitation to visit, especially when lights glow warmly within an English cottage. If you're in the mood to chat, you might wander up the rutted lane and knock briskly on the old, weather-worn door of this charming cottage, Open Gate, Sussex.

— Thomas Kinkade