Mary Had a Little Lamb

 

I looked up "picturesque" in the dictionary... Well, no... who uses an actual dictionary anymore... I googled the definition of "picturesque."

• Picturesque definition, visually charming or quaint, as if resembling or suitable for a painting

Ahhh... the perfect word. 

One spring day several years ago, I took a whole roll... Well, no... who uses film rolls anymore... I snapped so many "picturesque" photos.  There were the children of my niece, my sister-in-law's new lambs, my brother pulling kids in the wagon behind the tractor, a big white dog... It was all very... well, picturesque!

I kept those photos in a file thinking that any number of them could become a painting someday.  That was over 5 years ago, and finally this week was time to pick one to put on canvas.

This painting was my response to this weekly-ish challenge word "Lamb."

Here are a few of those other photos.  You never know... one of them could end up as a painting some day...

Original Oil Painting on 6"x 12" Wrapped Canvas
Click Mary Had a Little Lamb if you'd like to purchase this little painting.

Nighttime Landscape

Eleven and Twelve year olds really are very cool people to hang out with.  They're still kind of little kids, but they can do so much. 

Every summer I get to do an art project with the middle schoolers at my church.  It reminds me of how much I loved teaching... and how glad I am to do it now one week each year instead of 36 weeks each year.

It was a pleasure to guide these guys through the process. They did a wonderful job with their nighttime landscapes.  

Original Acrylic Paintings on 16"x 20" Wrapped Canvases.

[NFS - Not for sale... these are priceless works of art!]

A Sister's Gift II

I first painted this happy image a couple of years ago.  Sadly for me, I only got to enjoy it on my own wall for the short time it took it to dry. Then it went on to its forever home.

I was happy to do so when I was asked to recreate the painting. I'll enjoy it until it's dry then send it along to its new home. 

It's such a happy scene, who knows... Maybe I'll paint a third one some day.

It lives up to its title.  

It's been a gift again and again.

The clothesline bottle decoration was a gift from an aunt for her niece's wedding.

The first painting of it was commissioned by a someone who gifted it to her friend as a remembrance of her 6.sister, that same aunt who first gave it.

The second painting was commissioned by a friend who plans to gift it to her daughter.  

A delightful  full-circle moment was when the person who commissioned the second one found out who'd been the recipient of the first one.  She said, "Oh, she was such a gift to me when I transferred to teach at her school years ago!"

Original Oil Painting on 6"x 12" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

Sunset Over Lake Hamilton

Original Oil Painting on 30"x 40" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

Original Oil Painting on 9"x 12" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

Original Oil Painting on 9"x 12" Wrapped Canvas

Click Sunset over Lake Hamilton if you'd like to purchase this painting.

Garden Harvest (July 1-15)

What's your favorite season?

There's a pro and a con to every one of them.  

I love that I live where we have all four.

Temperatures above 100℉ in summer - con

Garden harvests in summer - pro... huge pro

Black Eyed Susans in a Can

Simple, yet elegant...

These pretty black-eyed Susans were growing in the blackberry patch behind my garden, 

Plain wildflowers in a tin can... couldn't be any prettier if they were from a florist and placed in a crystal vase.

The word for this weekly-ish art challenge was "tin."  

Original Palette Knife Oil Painting on 8"x 10"
[SOLD]

Patch of Pink Daisies

I painted a patch of pretty pink petals with a palette knife.

Hmmm... such alliteration not really intended! Reminds me of Dr. Seuss's ABC book... "Painting pink pajamas, policeman in a pail, Peter Pepper's puppy, and now Papa's in the pail!"

This patch of pink daisies was what I could see out the window as I sat in the dentist's chair last week. Beautiful view. Worthy of a photo then a painting.

My weekly-ish painting challenge word was "Petals" this time.

Original Oil Painting on 6"x 12" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

Cardinal in Snow

Maybe not the image I'd expect to be painting on July 4th weekend, but why not! 

I Googled whether or not cardinals migrate.  They don't.  I think ours are pretty happy living here. Why would they want to leave!

Original Oil Painting on 8"x 8" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]