Christian Church of Stilwell, Oklahoma

It's such an honor when someone trusts me to put their memory on canvas.

"Do you ever do commissions?"

    Yes, I do!

"I'd love to have a painting of the little church I remember from my childhood."

    Do you have a photograph of it?

"I don't think so.  It was torn down in the early 1960s.  I'll see what I can find."

"My daughter had this plate showing the little white church. Would that work?"

    I think I can work with that. 

"I do still have a few broken pieces of the original stained glass.  Would that help?"

    Oh, my goodness, yes!

Let me ask you some questions before I begin.

• What shape would be best? rectangle? square?
• What size? 8"x 8"? 10"x 10"? 9"x 12" ?
• What was the church made of? wood? brick? 
• What color was the roof?
• Were the windows stained glass?
• Were the doors wooden?
• Are those steps in the front?
• Is that a sidewalk? a road? a corner?
• What season would you like? summer? fall? winter?
• What kind of weather would you like? blue sky? evening?
• What colors do you use in decorating the other parts of your home?

It was an interesting conversation.  There were some things she didn't quite remember, a few long-forgotten things that came back to her, and others that were still very vivid.

Her granddaddy was the pastor.

He stood on those front steps with her in the crook of his arm as he shook hands after services.

She remembers running through the grass between the sidewalks and almost stepping on a snake beside that big tree. (FYI, I doubt it shows in the little photo, but just for fun, I did paint a snake in the grass beside the tree.)

Original Oil Painting on 10"x 10" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

Arched Rock Bridge

 Looks like a peaceful scene to come across on a hike.

I'm still finding ways to use up the left over paint from the palettes of our students a few weeks ago.  As long as I put it in the freezer between uses, oil paint will last a long long time.

By the time I finally get through all the little left over piles of earthy hues, I may be ready to paint with some bright red, orange, and purple!

My weekly-ish challenge was "Manmade."  It took me a long time to settle on what I wanted to do for that.  I wanted to think of something where everything was nature except that one thing.

I'm going to love seeing this one on my own wall until someone wants it for their own.

Original Oil Painting on 11"x 14" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

Meyer Creek

 

Meyer Creek played a vital part in the lives of my mother and her family.  They used it for bathing and laundry washing. They kept their gardens and animals watered from it.  Meyer Creek was a constant in their lives.  When I helped my aunt create her autobiography, she gave it the title, The Tallents of Meyer Creek.

There were so many stories revolving around Meyer Creek... well, a whole book full of them.

I'll write about MY memories of Meyer Creek.

I was #20 out of 21 cousins. A visit to Grandma & Grandpa's house in summer meant walking to the swimming hole in Meyer Creek.  The aunts and uncles would give us towels, tell us to be careful, and send us on our way. Once we got there, the older cousins would first throw rocks at the snakes that would always be sunning themselves on the big gray rocks.  Once the snakes had slithered off the rocks, we'd have the all clear. (Now... seriously... think about that for a minute... Where did those snakes go? Into the water probably?  Into the cracks of the rocks maybe? Hmmm... ) It was time to try to wade in. I say "try" because the water was sooooo cold.  On the hottest summer day, lips would be blue, teeth would be chattering, and limbs would be shivering.  The big boy cousins would get in and splash around.  The big girl cousins would spread their towels out on the low-water bridge to lay out.  (Of course they'd squeal and have to jump up whenever a car would come.) The other little cousins and I would wade up to our ankles or knees then probably think it would be more fun to go and play on the big rocks. (Totally safe since the snakes could no longer be seen.)

So... why did I decide this was a good time to paint this one?

Well... 

When cleaning up after our OLLI class, (Click HERE if to see that.) I scraped all of the students' left over paint onto a couple plates.  Hmmm... what to do with all those greens and blues... 

There's still plenty left.  I may have to do a whole series using only the left overs on these palettes.

Original Oil Painting on 11"x 14" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

Life Book 2023 - (January, February)

I've been participating in Willowing Arts Life Book 2023 for two (only two?!?!) months.

I thought I'd share what I've created so far.

Let's look at a score on the comfort level:

My normal oil on canvas realistic paintings - 0

Mediums and subjects I'm not used to - 15 

How about a score for trying new things, learning, and having fun: - 100

So many different faces...

A couple of animals...

A still life...

A cityscape...

And some random things...

Collage, acrylic, watercolor, pen & ink, stamps, stencils, pastels...

Fruits & Vegetables under the Umbrellas

Our state has many good roadside fruit and vegetable stands, and we have a wonderful farmers' market around our city's square. The reference photo I used for this painting; however, was taken when I spent some time in Indonesia a few years ago. There were so many beautiful fruits and vegetables and many I'd never seen before and haven't seen since.

Fun fact: I think that apples were a delicacy that that they must have imported from somewhere else.  Each apple on the stack would be wearing a little "jacket" to keep it safe. Look behind the oranges. Those are yellow apples! Each one has a pink spongy wrap. (The pink spiky things to the right of the oranges... who knows what odd kind of fruit that was!)

This might look like a painting about fruits and vegetables, but it's not supposed to be. My Creative Companions topic was "Umbrellas." I really struggled to connect with that one... a lot! I'd go to bed each night thinking... Umbrellas in the rain, beach umbrellas, folded umbrellas in a stand, umbrella plants, fancy umbrella parasols, umbrella strollers... 

Ugh... days passed...

I went to YouTube and practiced drawing every umbrella they had to offer. 

Zero connection...

Then I finally noticed this painting that hangs right there beside my bed!  Umbrellas at the farmers' market!!! Yes! But, I couldn't get by with just painting that one again.  So I went to the other side of the world for inspiration!

Original Oil Painting on 11"x 14" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

I Like Thursday 3/23

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

I like my art space. 

I love everything in there.

I love spending time there.

Click for a 30 second tour.

I like the rug I got for my art room.

I like writing in a journal.

I like my new refrigerator so much! 
I've never had a such a fun and fancy one before!

I like the daffodils in my yard. 
They're the first to announce that spring is arriving soon!

LeeAnne gave several other prompts to think about. 
Here are a few quick answers to them:

Tell us about something you collect... or used to collect now are tired of. I feel like I'm getting to the age when I want to collect and accumulate less stuff. Collections... let's see... I suppose journals.  I started writing in a journal in 3rd grade and never stopped.  I have quite a collection. I wrote about them in these posts. Journals Pt 1 and  Journals Pt 2 and  Journals Pt 3 and Journals Pt 4.

How do you feel about the Panetone color of the year magenta?  I love magenta!  Put a little aqua or turquoise next to it, and I like it even better.

What thoughtful things does your special person do for you? I have a very thoughtful guy.  Special things? Yes... always. But, how about practical things! He does all the laundry! There's plenty more, but that's a pretty good one right there!

What do you like about your creative/sewing space ? Do you have a dedicated space that is yours alone? What works in there for you? How do you feel when you're there?  I love my art space... my Atelier. There's a section for everything crafty and artsy that I love doing. My oil painting area, my sewing machine, my Cricut, a television, sitting area, tables for painter friends, storage for my (too much / too many / need to use up) materials, paints, fabrics, and supplies.

What would you like to have in a dream studio space? Think about layout, cabinetry, tools... Have you ever seen a studio space you wished you had?    About a year and a half ago, we made my art space into that dream studio space.  We repainted, put new lighting, and installed new flooring.  If it was a dream studio, then I suppose it would have a bathroom and kitchenette... but then I might never come out... Perhaps best to keep it as it is.

Summer Landscape with Blue Flowers (Senior Citizen Painting Class)

What a treat to guide these wonderful senior citizens through an oil painting!

This was our 6th time to teach OLLI students.  Click HERE to see the others.

Everyone of them did such a good job with their landscapes!

Yes, it's a lot of work to get prepared for teaching an OLLI class, but it's all worth it when the students come in.  My teaching partner Julie and I couldn't have been prouder!

Favorite moment... One of the participants thought I looked familiar and we discovered why. I had her daughter in my 4th grade class about 30 years ago!!  Of course I remembered her!  She texted her daughter who texted back some specific happy memories she had from that year with me. Oh, happy sigh...

Oil painting on 11"x 14" Wrapped Canvas

Click Summer Landscape with Blue Flowers if you'd like to purchase my example painting.

Paint-iversary - 16 Years since that first painting - Square/Squiggle Self Portrait-ish

Years ago there was a teachers' professional development activity which involved a personality test.

We were told to imagine a circle... then a triangle... then a squiggle... then a square.  

After a time, we were instructed to focus on the one that we most naturally related to.

Then they had each group stand up in turn.

*** So many squiggles hopped up, laughing and talking about irrelevant things, pointing at friends both sitting and standing.

*** Quite a few triangles scattered across the auditorium stood up. They were working out the rules and checking out the others, making sure it was all being done correctly.
*** Lots of circles took their turn to stand. They were hugging and making sure everyone was happy, walking across aisles to greet other circles and smiling at non-circle friends.

*** Then it was time for the squares... and the weirdest, most uncomfortable thing happened. There was only a smattering of us across the room... like the superintendent, some principals, me... (Of course the circles were cooing that it was alright, the squiggles thought it was hilarious, and the triangles were working out whether it had been done right.) The few of us stood up, looked around, then sat back down.

Okay, so the point of personality tests is supposed to be that you see the value in every type, that we need all kinds, that there are positives for every one.

It doesn't matter which "test" is given - (I'm the lion in the lion-otter-golden retriever- beaver one.  I'm red in the blue-red-green-yellow one.  I'm the pointed lipstick in the lipstick one.) - I suppose we are who we are.

Not long after that, I started painting. On February 22, 2007 I painted a tree.  I couldn't believe I'd done it!  It looked like a tree!  I was so proud.

To say that art has changed my life is not and understatement.  It's simply the truth.

I know that I'll always be that "square" or "lion" or "red" or "pointy lipstick" girl.  I've tried to embrace that.  (The world needs a few of us or things would never get done!) But, I think art has caused some of those corners to round, brought some value to the squiggly.

On this 16th anniversary and my 650th painting, perhaps a self-portrait-ish painting could celebrate that.

Part of the idea for my painting came from the Willowing Arts Class I'm taking on-line this year.  The teacher (Tamara LaPorte) guided through the painting of this lovely blue haired fairy.

Tam also guided us through a wonderful playing-with-supplies exercise before beginning the blue haired girl.  

I have to admit that the "square" in me came out on this one.  The idea was to simply enjoy playing with paint and shapes and color.  (Such a squiggle thing to do.)  I know I missed the point with more of an okay- let's-get-this-done attitude. Ha ha ha

My word for the weekly-ish art challenge, by the way, was "Squares."  I'm pretty sure my work took a completely different direction than my partner expected!

Original Acrylic Painting on 11"x 14" Wrapped Canvas

[NFS at this time]

A Boy & a Hen... Friends

This boy has been feeding chickens from that step since before he could walk.

My heart...

The chickens know he's the one who's very generous with treats!

"Friendship" was the topic for my weekly-ish art challenge. They're good friends, this boy and these chicks.

Original Oil Painting on 12"x 12" Wrapped Canvas

[NFS]

Buttons

"Buttons" was chosen as the February subject for a little creative group I'm working with this year. What a pleasure it was to spend time considering what buttons mean to me.

My painting came together quickly. I picked out some fabric, buttons, needle & thread. I set up a tiny still life, snapped some reference photos, and painted it.

The companion piece, however, consumed my thoughts for a few days.

I found a photo of Grandma Powell (wearing a dress with buttons down the front).

I found a photo of Grandma Tallent (wearing a dress with buttons down the front).

I found the photo of Great Granny MacReynolds (wearing a dress with buttons down the front.)

I found photos of Mom at different ages (wearing buttons).

I found a photo of Mom with her sisters (all wearing buttons).

When I get to the top of the stairs and open the door to my painting/sewing/crafting room, the first thing I see is this treasured work of art... okay... it's a stack of fishing tackle boxes. But, it's filled with those buttons.

My grandmothers were quilters.

My mother sewed everything we wore.  I think she probably sewed nearly every day of her life (...Except Sundays. She didn't sew on Sundays.) She was a Home Ec teacher for many years and taught many other girls (and boys once Title IX came to be) how to sew.

I kept most of the things in her sewing room, and I enjoy using them.

But the buttons... oh... I played with them as a little kid, sorting them, arranging them. I loved them and "knew" them. Once they were mine, I cleaned the cases, cleaned the buttons, organized them, and put them where I could enjoy seeing them every day.

Original Oil Painting on 5"x 7" Wrapped Canvas

[GIFT]