A Star is Born

This painting was commissioned and created as a gift for our resigning church music director, Karla Wright, as she moves on to share her musical talent with the masses.  I personally have had the privilege of singing with her on occasion.  She teaches private voice lessons, and is music director for the Village Singers (German Village, OH).  She performs with the Columbus Horns' and she blesses all with her amazing voice, guitar skills and winning personality as she performs around the Central Ohio area at various venues. She plans to expand her horizons by writing her own music, increasing her performances and record her own CD's.

She has a wonderful whimsical side to her, being especially fond of fairies.  So I elected to use that as the theme for this painting.  She is the Fairy here, reaching for the Star that she will surely become.  We will miss her, but she promises to grace us as a visiting musician from time to time.  This was a fun project for me, as I too, have a whimsical side.

Kerr Home

Our long-time friends/neighbors (John and Libbie Kerr) just sold this lovely house and have moved out of the county.  This painting is a labor of love.  It isn't really labor though....it has been quite enjoyable.  I know this home so well.  Our son spent many hours here hanging out with his friends.  Our daughters spent time here babysitting.  We have attended many events in this home........birthdays, graduations, OSU football and Kentucky Derby parties.  Wedding and baby showers, meditation groups, retreats, etc.  Our friends are some of the best hosts around!  Such amazing memories that span some 30 years.

This house sits on a hillside (in the middle of over 5 acres) with a walkout basement in the back.  Incredible tiered landscaping (pond, patios, decking, etc) /that they did all themselves.  There is a barn on the property as well.  This is the front view.....wish I could have painted the entire place. 

Serenity

Work in progress.  This isn't the best photo, but I have been quite happy working on this one.  I thought about titling it "Serenity", because that is what it says to me.  I am not always good with perspective.  Perhaps that is why I gravitate toward perspective art.  Something I need to work on?  Perspective is all about life and living.

I always ask my spouse for help with perspective.  I appreciate his input.  He thought it looked good.  Also asked him what else I should provide.  I had been thinking about animals.  We talked about it and decided that since there are no fences, goats might be the answer.  You see the beginning of a doe with her babe near the pond.  More or less to come, depending on my mood!

Music and books have sparked my inspiration to paint in the past few years.  Currently, I am learning "What A Wonderful World".  This painting signifies the Wonderful World we live in.  "I see leaves of green..................skies of blue..........!"  How about you?

Davion's birthday sign

This isn't the greatest photo from my art project for the week.  But you get the gist.  Our son Davion  likes to make his own beer.  He has all the equipment for it, and his first batch was called "Davion's Brew".  A few weeks back, he was here helping his Dad with firewood.  They often have a beer together after the work is done.  Davion started talking about how he would love a rustic/antique kind of sign to put in his garage that showed some brew and said, "It's 5 o'clock somewhere."  Since his birthday was coming up, I did an internet search to find the perfect sign.  While looking at all the possibilities, I had an epiphany!  "Hell!  I can make that for him!"  Went to Michaels and found this awesome planed/sanded board with the bark on the top and bottom.  Stained it and started painting.  It was quite interesting to work on a stained piece of wood.  It was much like working with watercolor.  The base was oil, so the acrylic paint was quite translucent when applied.  I liked that. I used to do tole paintings, but I had always sealed the board before applying paint.

I painted the background the exterior color of his garage, but left the table the natural stain of the wood.  It was quite fun to work on.  I did get the clock idea from the images I saw on the internet.  Most of them had 5 for every number.  Clever.

Okay....so presented it to him today and he really liked it.  Here's to you, Davion!  So glad you were born!

Books

                                                                     Books

I have another passion.  I didn't really develop or recognize it until a few years ago.  What I have discovered is that I love historical fiction.  I have a number of favorite authors who write in this genre.  One in particular is Jane Kirkpatrick.  Jane has a beautiful way of taking a bit of history and weaving it into an amazing story of women (in particular) who have made a difference in the world.  Their story is one of inspiration, hope and faith under difficult circumstances.  My first exposure to Jane was The Tender Ties Series.  This trilogy is about Marie Dorian, an Iowa Indian woman who spent five weeks on the journey with Sacagawea.  Both were married to French Canadian men, both pregnant and both affiliated with white, male fur trapping expeditions.  http://web.oregon.com/history/hm/marie_dorian.cfm

Marie faced incredible odds on that journey.  This is an amazing story of strength, courage, devotion and faith.  http://www.jkbooks.com/Titles/TenderTiesHistoricalSeries.html

I have read most of Jane's books and have been inspired by all of them.  I am currently reading Where Lilacs Still Bloom.  The story of Hulda Klager and her lilac gardens in Woodland WA.   If you like gardening, you will love this book.  Her father encouraged Hulda to follow her dreams.  Quoted from the first chapter:  “Huldie, don’t deny the dreams. They’re a gift given to make your life full. Accept them. Reach for
them. We are not here just to endure hard times until we die."
Hulda followed her dreams and persevered through very tough times.  I am inspired by this story and visiting Hulda's Gardens is definitely on my bucket list.

More sharing of authors/books to come.

Warmth From The Light Within

I  decided to add the moon to this painting.  What do you think about that????

I have always loved this kind of winter scene.  I grew up in the west, so is it any wonder I would admire the mountains, the crisp winter air and the warmth and light that comes from within an abode?  I have always loved the mountains.  Always loved the light.  This painting depicts what I have been very recently feeling.  I KNOW and LOVE the light within me...........as well as within all of you.