PETER

Today I was perusing old paintings, and this one caught my eye.  This guy (girl?) lives under our deck, and has survived for several years now.  That's sayin' somethin' where foxes and coyotes roam free!  I managed to get this picture by tiptoeing out the back door, camera in hand.  He/she was having a yummy lunch. 

I realize this is a painting of SPRING, and today it's COLD, and Christmas is just around the corner.  But I love spring all year 'round, and I'm already longing for it!

I painted this for my niece in celebration of her first-born.  And I love it.  Particularly the light coming through his ear... oooh, that pink!!

CLOUDS OF MERCY

I was recently re-introduced to the hymn by William Cowper, "God Moves in a Mysterious Way".  I say re-introduced, because surely I've sung this?!  But I only remember the first phrase!  The entire thing is beautiful.  This painting is based on the second verse.

"God moves in a mysterious way

His wonders to perform;

He plants his footsteps in the sea,

And rides upon the storm.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,

The clouds ye so much dread

Are big with mercy, and shall break

In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,

But trust him for his grace;

Behind a frowning providence

He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,

Unfolding every hour;

The bud may have a bitter taste,

But sweet will be the flower."

Did Someone Say Food?

Clearly I love to paint chickens.  I've lost track of how many I've painted!  I think, though, that this one is my favorite.

I painted it for my nephew as a house-warming gift, and it cracks me up!!!  And it's JUST like my nephew!  Seriously.  He's curious.  And alert.  And inquisitive.  And eager.  And fully engaged in life.  And he really would pop his head into the kitchen and say, "did someone say food?"  HAHAHAHA!!!  I love it!!!

Here Fishy Fishy!

I've always dreaded painting water.  I see the work of other artists and it's oh, so beautiful!!  But they're REAL artists, right?!  And so I've just avoided it like the plague.  It's one of those things that I had worked up in my mind as being impossible.  All those swirls, and reflections, and odd blotches that make no sense at all.  But you never learn if you never try, right?

So I tried!!  Actually this is my second attempt.  My first attempt was when I was maybe 14 years old.  I painted two baby swans swimming in a lake.  And it wasn't half bad for a teenager!!  But it wasn't particularly fabulous either (even though a kind neighbor lady loved it and hung it in her house).  After that first attempt I just sort of put water waaaaay on the back burner.

Until a couple of weeks ago.  I had this reference photo of a fish, and the water was lovely (all those swirls, and reflections, and odd blotches that make no sense at all!!).  And so I tried it.  And it's not half bad for a 50-something year old!!  Truth be told, I'm quite pleased.  And truth be told, I prayed all the way through it!!!  Thank You, My Lord!

Coloring Pages

 

 Not long ago I was at a friend's house and she had this lovely grown-up type book of dot-to-dots... and they were indeed lovely.

I was about to run to the closest book store... which is about an hour away!... and buy myself one, when I realized that, while I'm not that comfortable making my own dot-to-dots, I AM comfortable making my own coloring pages!!!

So I got to work!!  And it's not even work, it's great fun!  The drawing is one level of fun, and then the coloring is like adding whipped cream and the cherry on top!

The Flowers Sing Praises to God!

Eight canvases.  Each of them eight feet square.  Finished!!  I seriously thought this would take me A MONTH!  But the Lord had His hand on mine, and the paints flew off my brush!  I finished in 2-1/2 weeks!  I am stunned.

I should have taken a picture of my paints... I had every color known to man.  The church has this lovely wheel-y cart in the kitchen that I load everything on to, and I could barely push it, it was so heavy!

I am thanking the Lord this afternoon.  I have seen His kindness AGAIN.

It's Camp Season Again!

Once again, I got to paint for Camp Elim's summer programs.  What fun it was!  They have a western theme this summer, and their only request was the bucking bronco.  After that I could do what I wished.  Lately we've had a pollen STORM coming off of the ponderosa pine trees, so these are COVERED with yellow dust... which I think makes them look weathered and old, and I'm perfectly happy with that!

I never told you about what I painted for their winter camps.  They had a theme that involved a private detective, so I was asked to paint the walls of the detective's office, complete with his logo painted on the outside of the window.  This was GREAT fun... I decided it definitely needed some old wall-paper, which of course I needed to design!

 And then, I don't think I ever showed you the patch designs that they asked me to do.   Camp Elim has a patch program where the campers can earn patches for memorizing Bible verses, and completing a craft project, or sometimes a service project.  As a kid, I remember earning patches when I was a camper.  They've had the same set for as long as I can remember.  But recently they decided to add three to the list of options for a camper to earn.  I am beside myself with delight that I got to design these!