Small figurine of a cat with folded ears, pink paws, and an unamused expression against a softly blurred background.

A Cozy Invitation

Gifted by Gwynn Lemler
Gathered by Ashley M. Laughlin
Laramie, November 2024

Gwynn Lemler is a Senior Office Associate in the English and Modern & Classical Languages departments of the University of Wyoming. She has worked in the English department for 14 years, and at the University of Wyoming for 24 years. Gwynn's office, located in Hoyt Hall, and is decorated with trinkets, knick-knacks, and gifts that she has collected during her long tenure at the University of Wyoming. These items display her personality and many of her interests, and there are several connections to her family. The following photographs detail many of the items decorating this intentionally inviting space.

A table by a window holds several potted plants, framed photos, a yellow rose in a glass jar, a clanedar open to 2024, and personal items like lotion and water bottles. Outside, trees and grass are visible through open blinds.

"I believe I started with two or three plants. The Norfolk pine was actually originally in the Mathison library. Significantly, my mother gave me a Norfolk pine when I moved into the dormitory. It was my freshman year. It only took a couple of weeks to kill it."

A tabletop display holds playful cat figurines in various poses on a neutral cloth, while a leafy plant drapes above. Behind them are a polka-dotted pot, framed artwork, and more plants with a partially visible sign in bold black letters.
A close-up of a decorative plate with pink and yellow ranunculus flowers stands in front of several spider plants.

"The spider plants were propagations from my brother, and I'm pretty sure he got those originally from my mother. I'm not quite that much of a green thumb, but I do have a softness for green growing things."

A wooden frame displays a watercolor painting of a mountain with trees adn wildflowers. It sits on a desk with a red hot chocolate tin, yellow mug, digital thermometer, and yellow ranunculus. Behind it, a white animal-shaped planter on a black stand.
A framed painting on a desk shows a historic four-story brick building with arched windows and a central entrance, surrounded by leafy trees. The artwork sits in a black frame decorated with two small black cat cutouts.

"The two pictures are gifts from the Modern & Classical Languages department. They had someone who in the past—I think they were faculty—who did the paintings, and they had permission to reprint them as gifts for people, as thank-you's for their efforts and work."

A framed photo with a man in a red shirt holding two black cats in front of a bookshelf. The frame is flanked by tall black wooden cat decorations with googly eyes and raffia bows. Small figurines, including cats and a frog with a sign, sit below.

"Jeff says he married his best friend, and I feel the same way. This photo is probably about a year after we got the cats. They're brothers. We lost our cat of, oh gosh, 13, 14 years—no, even longer than that. We went on a vacation and came back, and I thought, 'Okay, we're ready.' Our original cat was Hobbs. She was a black cat as well. We got her while I was still living in the dorms, and my husband—boyfriend at the time—was living in an apartment. He went and got a cat—so we could have a cat together. It's been almost 10 years since she died, and it's still hard sometimes."

A white cat hanging onto a brown twig and another gray and white cat partially hidden in the foliage.
Small cat figurines posed playfully on a patterned surface. Two stand inside a shallow dish, one stretching and the other sitting upright, while an orange cat lies down.There are surrounding figures, including additional cats and a small frog,
A playful scene of small cat figurines is arranged on a patch of artificial grass beneath a tree. In the foreground, a wide-eyed orange-and-white cat lies on its back, while another cat sits upright nearby.
Small figurine of a grey and white cat with folded ears, pink paws, and an unamused expression against a softly blurred background.
A lively display of miniature cat figurines is arranged among small gray rock structures and long green leaves. The cats strike playful poses like stretching, lounging, climbing, and rolling on their backs. A darker animal figure appears in the backg
An orange-and-white cat figurine sits upright with its eyes closed and mouth open in a playful expression. In the foreground, another orange cat lies stretched out. Behind them, a yellow cat with an orange object on its head and additional, blurry fi

"I do identify as a cat lady—a little bit. I certainly appreciate the sentiment of a crazy cat lady, although two cats is plenty. Having a cat in my life is important. The majority of the cats in my office are from my husband."

  • A framed traditional mask hangs on a textured wall. The wooden mask, labeled “YangBan Tal,” features a smiling expression with raised brows and deep lines. Black cords hang from each side. The frame includes Korean and English text.

    "There's a program on campus called 'Friendship Families' and it pairs people who are interested with international students to give them the opportunity to experience a home life while they're here. And one of our 'Friendship Families' students gifted this to my husband and I. There is another one at home."

  • A small silver picture frame with beaded edges holds a portrait of three smiling people. Two women sit in front wearing patterned vests and jackets, while a man stands behind them in a white shirt. The frame rests on a speckled tabletop.

    "When I was 18, coming back from my first year in college, and I talked my mother and my grandmother into getting a generational portrait taken. You can kind of see our similarities. But that is actually the only family photo besides the cats and my husband's picture."

A magnetic board decorated with colorful items includes a blue sign reading “Crazy Cat Lady,” patterned magnets, a green cowboy silhouette, a red fabric cat ornament, and postcards. Spider plant leaves drape across the board.
A small fabric frog doll sits on a patterned cloth, holding a sign that says “Mondays Make Me Croak!” Beside it stands a wooden carved cat labeled “St. Kitts,” wearing a tiny bell necklace. Both objects are in front of a picture frame.
A framed sign titled “Secrets of Success in Life, Love and Career” hangs on a textured wall, listing motivational advice about attitude, character, and perseverance. Wooden carved face decorations and a green leafy plant appear below, creating a warm
Two figurines of smiling cats stacked together sit beside a faceted crystal ornament on a window sill. A black cutout of a cat’s head with white eyes is fixed to the windowpane, peeking inside playfully.
A row of small figurines is displayed along a windowsill. Two birds wear winter hats and scarves, while three white bunny figures hold red and orange objects. Green plants frame the scene, with leaves extending into view. The background shows the fai
A small figurine of a brown, striped cat clings to the edge of a green plant pot, appearing to climb up toward the soil inside. The cat has painted green eyes, whiskers, and a curled tail, giving it a playful quality on the edge of a potted plant.

"The fact that I have so many decorations here is a testament to how many people have given them to me."