Words fail when trying to describe the magical and mystical world of Sub Rosa, the home of internationally renowned artist Edward Povey and his artist wife, Donna Tolar. Perhaps if you said fanciful, original, imaginative, inspired, inventive, ingenious, dazzling, delightful. You might, just might, be able to capture the essence of what lies at the heart of this enchanting home.

But Sub Rosa is more than this. The rose colored walls of this adobe structure hidden in the fringe of the Texas Hills are imbued with the souls of both their owners. Sub Rosa is Edward Povey and Donna Tolar. All three unique. Unafraid to say, "...this is who I am. This is what I love. Come share the joy!"

One’s head spins; beware of sensory overload. Entering the secret world under the rose is not a knock on an ordinary door, but a journey that twists and turns through a stepped up passage that leads to what most people feel is the heart of every home. But this is no ordinary space. Quietly lit, inspired by a country kitchen in France, it is an entirely open concept and cabinet doors do not exist. Countertops are comprised of pieces of furniture. A contemporary refrigerator has the look of ages. Windows on one wall are reminiscent of a country church. The pressed tin ceiling, designed by the owners, was laboriously hand finished to resemble old copper. The expected dining room table has been replaced with a lounge area. "Because everyone seemed to gather in the kitchen and didn’t want to leave, we switched the furniture," explains Donna Tolar.

Above an antique door leading through "Alice’s Rabbit Hole" to the new dining area, is a shrine filled with small photos, "...in honor of those whom we have loved and lost," says Edward. And because this couple savors each moment in life, they also have an unexpected whimsical way of preserving recent memories. Towering candelabra laden with the melted wax of candles piled on top of candles hold the laughter and joy of long evenings spent with cherished friends. Any individual could spend a week of delighted discovery in this now multi-purpose room (an impressive four poster guest bed is tucked behind a large screen in the corner) and still discover something new when they return, a day, a week, a month later,for Sub Rosa seem sa living thing that continually evolves.

The owners value both the unique and the ordinary: a stained glass window from a ruined English country church, temple rubbings from the Orient,  Carnevale masks from Venice, hand painted paper and silk parasols, Chinese lanterns, a wall of toys. Edward’s Mad Hatter costume was handmade by Donna and Povey’s mother and created for a single Christmas party that was so successful, they decided to repeat the event three more times the same month.

Nooks and crooks and crannies and carvings and dust...Edward likes bits of dust...it holds the past. And burned out bulbs, it’s part of living and life. Gauze. Silks. Beads. And paintings. Of course, paintings.

But keep looking. There is more. Walk up the stairs, turn a corner, and enter the captivating world of magic mirrors, movies, and a home theater reminiscent of the gilded age of old Hollywood. Viewing this multi-leveled room with plush seating in the form of small couches, velvet throws, and walls adorned with fourteen hauntingly lit custom-made golden masks, you will never be content with a mere media room again. Edward and Donna have truly put the magic back in watching movies at home, or anywhere.

Back downstairs open another door and find yourself in an octagon shaped harlequined hall of mirrors. You must guess which laughing queen’s face to push to find the powder room. Once discovered, your gaze rests on walls lined with scripts from old theatrical plays, many with hand written notes from the actors who used them. Another wall holds personal memories, tickets to all of the plays Edward and Donna have attended during the past ten years. Push on another queen’s face and enter the heart of Edward Povey’s world, the artists lair. This studio and Povey’s art is why Sub Rosa exists. Of his painting processes Edward says, "...it’s really difficult, because you put on a lot of paint for every stroke that actually pleases you and really accomplishes anything. It takes a huge amount of effort."

His paintings are valued by private collectors all over the world, his art has been showcased in New York, Brussels and Wales. A master in his field, Povey’s work, the twenty by forty foot mural "The Hall of Illusion," which hangs in the University of Wales has been described as one of the ten most important university-owned artworks. And Edward Povey andDonna Tolar live here, choosing to share their world with the individuals that populate this valley. "Isn’t it wonderful," he says, "that we are here, and able to share this with the Civic Club, who in turn will use the money raised to benefit so many organizations in Wimberley."

» Click here to visit the Wimberley Community Civic Club