Harvesting a Rainbow (Late June)

 

Underwater

Sea turtles seem wise like they know some secret of life. Maybe they do.

A few years ago I had the privilege of going to Indonesia.  One day there was a surprise side trip to visit a sea turtle preserve. It was an amazing thing to experience.  We even got to choose one little turtle and let him go.  They say that only 1 in every 1,000 make it to adulthood. It was oddly emotional to watch him crawl down the sand and let the waves take him away.  I hope he was the 1 that made it!

The WordSpark challenge this month was "Underwater."  I actually got my companion piece done first then had to decide what I could paint that would compliment her. I thought I'd do a fantasy/realistic, watercolor/oil, character hanging the the water with 3-4 little sea friends, similar color scheme... They didn't turn out quite as similar as I meant for them to, but I like them both.  

The mermaid is from an Ida Anderson Lang lesson that I first attempted a couple of years ago when I was just beginning to give watercolor a try in a LifeBook taster session

Original Oil Painting on 8"x 10" Wrapped Canvas

Click Underwater if you'd like to purchase this little painting.

Cattle Waiting Patiently

Pretty little heifers... just waiting...

I always think cows look so patient.

What do you suppose these little cows are waiting for? Or are they just curious about the guy taking their picture.  My friend Glen snapped their photo and posted it on Facebook.  When I saw it, I stopped scrolling and knew I wanted to put them on canvas.

My dad was the high school agriculture teacher in my hometown.  I remember hanging around his classroom when I was a kid. There was a big wall hanging showing all the breeds of cows, kind of like how other classrooms would have world maps.  I would look at all those different kinds of cows and wish he'd bring home a blonde one or a spotted one or a white one or an Oreo striped one the next time he went to the sale barn.

But, no. We only had boring old black angus cattle. Sometimes we'd have some hereford or some black baldies, but never one of what I thought were fancy cows.

I thought these five pretty little blond cows were just fancy enough for a painting.

My Weekly-ish Painting Challenge this week was "Cattle," so that worked out perfectly.

Original Oil Painting on 10"x 20" Wrapped Canvas

Click Cattle Waiting Patiently if you'd like to purchase this painting.

Harvesting a Rainbow (Early June)

Stargazer Lily on a Stem x 7 (OLLI Class Lesson)

Why so many?!?!

Well... 

1 because I wanted to paint it... 

1 to pretend I was a new painter to see if it would be good for a class... 

1 using only the materials the students would have... 

1 to see see how quickly it could be done...

1 the night before  as a practice...

1 as the model example for the first class...

1 as the model example for the second class...

 

Original oil paintings done on 6"x 8" Wrapped Canvas, 6"x 12" Wrapped Canvas, 5"x 7" Canvas Board

Click HERE if you'd like to purchase the 6"x 8 or HEREHERE if you'd like to purchase the 6"x 12". Just contact me if you'd like one of the 5"x7" Canvas Board ones.

I Like Thursday 6/24

    Thank you to Leeanne of Not Afraid of Color for reminding me to notice things I like. 

I like the row of irises that put on their best show in May.

I like Pete.

I like growing my own salad right on the porch rail.
(The deer like it too... so the chicken wire protection.)

I like having tiny chicks in spring. 
These began to hatch for Fancy-like on Mother's Day.
My grandkids named them Marie, Merida, & Maisy.

I like my art room.

I like the new windchime I got for Mother's Day. 
It makes the most wonderful deep soothing sound.

I like squash blossoms.

I like early morning visits to the blueberry farm.

I like our forest friends...  But sometimes... 
This guy has enjoyed sneaking chicken food
even with a lid on it, a board over it, and the bin lid closed.
I hope he enjoys his new home on a friend's forest land in the next county!

I like having a garden!
The May weather has been perfect for it!

LeeAnne's  get-to-know-you writing topics this month:

In honor of Memorial Day culture... not the actual meaning mind you... Memorial Day is the opening of pools, summer and wearing white pants do you look forward to wearing white pants?
Short answer: No. Do you own any? Short answer: No.  Shorts?  Shorts? Yes, of course when it's hot.  Capris? Yes, it seems like the longer I live, the longer my shorts become. Dress Pants?  All the time when I was teaching school. Retiring from teaching was also retiring from dress pants as much as possible! (The COVID years were another good excuse to wear dress pants 0% of the time. Jeans?  I love wearing jeans, except when it's hot.  Did you ever have a favorite style? Hip hugger? No.  frayed cut offs? Weren't frayed cut offs the only kind of shorts when we were kids? What about bell bottoms? Loved those! Balloon jeans? I had those in high school! The skinny jeans of these days... goodness, they weren't meant for gals shaped like me.  And, the holes-in-the-knees jeans... I cannot imagine how that became a style! And how about pajama pants! Was there really any other thing to wear in 2020 and 2021? Last thing... what about yoga pants?!? I discovered those when I retired and started Pilates.  They probably don't look good in public, but they sure are comfortable.

When you have free time, do you feel the need to constantly "DO" something? Yes, I have to admit that I am that person.  Is rest considered wasting time?  I'm feeling that I'll be shamed, but I have to answer yes.  How do you spend or would you like to spend free time?   What free time? Okay, okay... ummm... I like playing Double FreeCell on the computer. I like scrolling through Instagram.  I like scrolling through Facebook.  Do you wish you were more moderate or different?  I feel like I'm supposed to answer yes, but I like accomplishing things.  I like being productive.  

Remember the last day of the school year?  Clearing out your desk in elementary school or your locker in high school... 12 years of school, 4 years of college, 32 years of teaching... I've had 48 last days of school to remember. I think the question, though, is about being a kid.  I remember that the bus driver would stop at the Dairy Queen and buy everykid on the bus an ice cream cone. Remember how you felt and what the first days of freedom were like? How did you spend an average childhood day when school was out.  I lived in the country, so I only had one house that was in walking distance.  Those two kids and I rode bikes, picked blackberries, played all kinds of made-up games... all outside... all day, everyday... outside. I did watch some television too.  We only got one channel, but I knew exactly when the good shows came on.

Did you ever go to camp as a youth?  Sure!  I went to band camp every summer in junior high and high school.  Getting to stay in a college dorm room! Having very little supervision! Hanging with other band kids all day and night! Yes!   I also went to church camp every summer.  Cabins, activities, friends all day and night! Yes!

As a retired adult, do you change your routine for the summer? My garden dictates how many summer hours are spent.  It's time consuming, but a joy. I will say this, after 48 years of life being dictated by the school calendar, I love that we can travel in times other than summer.