The Travelers

At one point in time all of us must depart our bodies and take a little trip. A journey to rejoin that which is greater than us all. Back to the Light, capitol L. So, this is my depiction of that action of the smaller pieces of the Divine, that being us, re-joining to the Greater Divine. A rapture of sorts, a spiritual journey, perhaps the greatest journey of all. I do hope you like it.

Woody (Kevin), you will be missed buddy. May your journey to the Light be wondrous indeed.

The Night You Chose Me

Nothing could be more powerful than catching my lovers gaze on me across a crowded room. That first kiss, that first glimpse into each others soul. You know what I mean, when your heart nearly bursts in your chest. That's what I mean here. So, on this Christmas Eve, I painted this painting for you. So you would know how I feel, when my lover looks my way and chooses me all over again.
The Night You Chose Me, 24"x48" acrylic knife work on canvas.

Flowers

18"x24" abstract sunflowers, "Blowin in The Wind".
18"x24" acrylic on canvas , Flowers on Blue".

Coming off the Easel

This was the unfinished painting of "The Isle of Skye", 16"x20" I was working on a couple of weeks ago. It needed to have more nooks and crannies for the fairies to hide in, and some drama.
So, I made a more rougher terrain and some beautiful sunbeams filtering out from the sky on left. Beaming down burning off the morning mist I should think. Fairies defintely live in these lighted places now!
This is a little Christmas scene of the oldest son going out to fetch the family Christmas tree. He's found one he likes and is taking it home to be trimmed. This one is called, "The Christmas Tree". 9"x12"

Christmastime painting at my house

Here we are, my friends and I getting into the Christmas spirit. Paint brushes in hand.
Another work of art comes off the easel for my friend Gloria.
Lyn produces another masterpiece

And I worked on some winter scenes, this "Sleigh Ride" painting and the "Winter Night", both oil on canvas.

Meet -n-Greet at the Arts Council

Tonight was my first meet -n-greet at the Arts Council in Huntsville Al, at the Von Braun convention Center. One of my paintings, Autumn Trail, was featured. There was a lot of activity going on at the same time at the convention center and concert hall. This was good for the featured artists as all their paintings on display were viewed by many.
I met a lot of other artists tonight and learned a great deal about the arts community in town and also some of the different techniques and methods used by various artists.
There was even a caroling group in costume, singing Christmas songs.
Christmas being so close, hot chocolate and holiday cookies were served.
I will defintely apply to this venue again. I sure did enjoy all the camaraderie. Those of the TAC certainly love their work in the promotion of the arts.

Artist Meet and Greet

The print on this notice is very small so I'll hit the highlites for ya,
Thursday, December 10th there will be a Meet and Greet the artist at the TAC office and gallery @ the Von Braun center from 6-8pm. For those who would like to go I'll be there as one of the artist on display at this art show. You can refer to the Hunstville art blog for more details.
The art@TAC Gallery is located between the VBC Playhouse and Concert Hall and can be easily reached from their respective entrances.
Hope to see you there.

Painting at my House with Lyn

this first painting is a completed work done by my friend Lyn. She did a few minor adjustments to it and them the Ta-DA moment, she signed it!
This is another painting that Lyn is currently working on. It's her ministers hands all aglow with the spirit. I believe she is going to put in stained glass windows in the wall in the background. At least that was the plan when she left yesterday.
This is the painting that I was working on it's the, Isle of Skye, Scotland. To the left are sunbeams streaming through the clouds but it didn't photograph well. I will continue to work on this one. It's in request for Deb who wanted a painting done in the Scottish highlands where the fairies play in the mist. Well, this painting has the mist burned off by the rising sun over the craggy clifts. The Fairies have fled into the Loch to the left and the surroundings craigs.

I love having friends over to paint. You just never know what will be produced or imagined.

Hope all of you have a Happy Thanksgiving .

Flowering Mojave Desert

My friend Bobbi suggested I do a desert painting. Well in my form, that meant color. Now, how to fit so much color into a desert painting? Spring rains bringing flowers, that's how. So, Vwala, spring rains bringing the beautiful flowers to the Mojave Desert.

Little Flowers

Well, I got a little sidetracked with flowers instead of deserts and mist shrouded fairies. These are all small paintings. The Pansies are 5'X7" oil on Masonite board.
The Poppies are 4"x6" each, oil on Masonite board. We'll see what dances off the easel next.

New home for Hanging on the Vine

One of my friends has a dear friend of hers that's currently away from home in a medical facility. That friend saw this painting on the blog and really admired it, so you know my friend just had to bring it to her. I hope this painting brings you much joy Cathy , and I hope your upcoming medical procedure brings you long health and happiness.
Jo, you're an angel. I am blessed to know you as is anyone who comes in contact with you.

Mountain Meadow and High Plains

This week has been a rather tough week on my back. I injured it and find it rather difficult to either sit or lie down cause I can't get back up. So, that leaves a lot of standing, and where better to stand than in front of the easel! This first little painting is 8"x16" oil on canvas entitled, Mountain Meadow". Lots of meadow flowers.
This next painting I call" High Plains". It's 12"x24" oil on Masonite board. I just love these colors and the fence line in front with the row of shrubs along the back. I think this one is my favorite of the two.
I may produce a lot more of these little landscapes while my back is out. Standing at the easel is not half bad at that.
Give me some ideas, what would you like to see me paint?

Hanging On The Vine

My favorite preacher, Joyce Meyer, always talks about how God is the vine and we are the branches. If we were cut from the vine we would wither up. I understand that analogy very well but I see myself and you as the FRUIT of the vine. Gods bountiful fruit. That is, as long as we hang on and continue to get our nourishment from the vine and not from the world. Cut off from the spirit we become lost and soon wither up. So, this little painting is all of us just a hangin' on the vine.

John 15:5, I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Painting with some girlfriends

Today I had a couple of girlfriends over and we sat, ate, and chatted for awhile, then we painted. This is Gloria. She really found her niche in painting today in the dancing African art realm. I begged her for this painting but alas, she took it home with her.

















This is Lyn. She worked on this painting of an autumn scene. Absolutely gorgeous work. I begged her for her painting as well, but, she took her's home too.


This is what I worked on. My friend Deb, who is not photographed here, named this painting Pentimento who's definition is:A pentimento (plural pentimenti) is an alteration in a painting, evidenced by traces of previous work, showing that the artist has changed his mind as to the composition during the process of painting. The word derives from the Italian pentirsi, meaning to repent.

This seemed a great name as this was a painting over a painting. A re-do as it were. I didn't like the first painting so I painted over it. I also liked the reference to repenting and this looking somewhat like a church window. Second name? How 'bout Harlequin?

Deb didn't get her picture taken but her creation today was FOOD. She brought a homemade mac-n-cheese for us to chow down on. Very good too.

Autumn Trail on display

This painting was selected to show for TAC ( The Arts Council) of Huntsville at the Von Braun convention center in downtown Huntsville , Al.. It will be on display November 23rd-february 17th. There will be a " Meet and Greet" the artists that are showing on December 10th. I Will post the date and time in a later posting.

White Diamonds Black Night -SOLD

This painting went to a dear friend and her husband, Michele and Greg Lee, of Madison , Al. I can't express how special these people are. Michele has been so very inspiring to me. She is an artist and business owner, you can see her work and get to her business URL from this link. www.micheleleeart.com
I feel as if "family" has this painting, and I couldn't be more pleased. Visit Michele's site and see her art work.
She is one of the most talented young women that I know.
I will be working on some new paintings this weekend, be sure to visit and see what's next off the easel.

White Diamonds Black Night

It was a full moon the other night and I needed to release some energy into a painting. I got out all the colors of the rainbow, in vivids, brites, not primary's. I began with large brushes and soft music. I absolutely hated what I produced! I turned off the music, mixed some thickening medium into some blues and greens and white. I reached for my largest knives and went to work. What was taking shape was really gorgeous.To my surprise, the glint of a diamond appeared. At first I thought it was a salt crystal and then it clarified into the light that fractures off the cold hard surface of a diamond in the moonlit night. Hence, White Diamond Black Night.
Tell me what you think.

Fallen Leaves

I love fall colors and this abstract is the embodiment of those colors and the wonderful smells of the woods in autumn. I painted this one on all hallows eve, Halloween for short. It reminds me of a beautiful Indian summer day, just like the one we experienced here today in Huntsville Alabama. I hope that you get the feel of the leaves when you look at this one. I really like it, hope you do too.

Red She Dragon and Intimacy's Fire -SOLD

The Red She Dragon

Well, you know how it is, get a hankerin' to paint something and it comes in twos and threes. So it is with these dragons. Could be done , could be another one, who knows.

The Dragon

A friend of mine suggested I do a dragon painting and I was intrigued to say the least. Not at all my usual style. This is result. I hope you enjoy this one. There will be a more abstract dragon in the future so keep a look out.

Joani Edens and the Herron

This is Joani Edens, she and I met at the Madison Street Fair October 3rd. She is a freelance writer and recently came by my house to interview me for an article on her web page.
Article about me CLICK HERE

While she was here at my home she got to view most of my paintings hung around the house and she really enjoyed this one, The Herron. This painting was done about 18 months ago and is one of my favorites and I was really excited to give it to Joani as a thank you for the wonderful article, and as it turned out, an anniversary gift for her and her husband. But mostly I was following a voice inside that said "the painting is now Joani's". I have learned to listen to that still quiet voice. I couldn't be more pleased with Joani now owning this painting.
If you would like to visit Joani's website, she is listed below and is currently looking for more writing opportunities.
Joani Edens' site CLICK HERE

Madison Street Festival today

Today was the Madison Street Festival. Here are some photos of the day. This one is of a film crew who were taking shots at the booth .

This is a more wider shot of the booth, you can see more paitings here and you can also see Michele Lee's booth to the left.
Great fun today. Madisonians are great art lovers and bought a lot of art from both Michele and myself. It was a good day. Perfect temp out , perfect heat around 76* out and sunny.
I would definitely do this show again next year.
It was also my pleasure to do some judging of the school kids art work from the Madison schools. That was SOOOo hard. I wanted to let them all win! Eventually a team of us judges were able to narrow down the field for 1st 2nd and 3rd places in the elementary, middle and high school age groups.
All in all a wonderful and tiring day. Now to rest and put my feet up for awhile!

Madison Street Festival

Come join us on Saturday from 8:30 -4:00 pm downtown Madison Al. , Main street for the Madison Street Festival, October 3rd.
It's a big event and I plan on bringing some very new stuff. A lot of large canvases will be for sale.
Come and plan on spending the day there. There will be other vendors and artists as well as a car show and a parade in the morning.
It's just a giant street party!
I look forward to seeing you.

Intimacy's Fire

As promised, new off the easel, "Intimacy's Fire". I had done this painting last month just as flames and thought that it was finished as it was. I soon found out that it was to evolve a great deal more.I think that the barbed wire adds a very masculine and sexy feel to the painting. I am not sure how to interpret this painting. I was the channel through which it came about but I don't always know what they mean. I would be very interested in hearing your interpretation of the painting.
Below is a close up of the barbed wire.

New on the Easel

Well, I'm inspired again. Took the painting,"Intimacies Fire" and am now enhancing it with a bit more detail. Stay tuned. Should be posted by late weekend. I love it so far. It's definitely masculine.

Plein Air day

Today my friend and I went out into the woods on her father-in-laws estate. We packed up all our painting supplies and loaded up the "Dune Buggy" and hit the trails. We settled on a little spot where two paths converged. I liked this spot because one path was well trodden and the intersecting path was overgrown. Kinda like the path, "
TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
So, Although this little painting does not do Robert Frost's poem justice, it did make me think, must I always follow the well lit and and most trodden path, or,Should I take a chance that more will be revealed when I say "YES" to the road less traveled?
Funny thoughts for such a carefree Sunday.
I had fun and I DEFINITELY need more instruction on Plein air painting techniques.

can't see the forest for the trees

Well, this one has a story.
A friend of mine came over and for a few days running she and I would talk about our issues while I painted. And, as each issue was discussed , I painted another tree. I soon had a forest. But the neat thing about it was that we each got lost in the particulars of the issues and were missing the big picture, hence, can't see the forest for the trees. When I stood back a lovely forest appeared and with it the path that I had taken on this latest journey through my issues. I can look at the whole picture now and see that my Higher Power has it all in control, and there is a master plan in place. I need not fret the particulars.

My Sister

Recently, I got an opportunity to visit with my sister. She is quite a remarkable woman and I wanted to paint a picture to celebrate her. This painting depicts Mind, Body and Soul. The little jacks is about her childlike playfulness, that's the "Mind" part. The "Body" is represented by the pink ribbon, yes, she is a breast cancer survivor. And lastly the purple Irises, her favorite flower. This is her "Soul". Purple is a royal, regal color and she is royalty to me.
I hope to send it along to her soon.
Luv you Sis

Art Show

Pics of the display at today's art show. We got rained on so we had to pack it up an hour and a half into it. Oh well.
Next show will be in October on the 3rd for the Madison Street Festival. That will be the last show of the year for us. I have had fun and learned a lot about people and how they shop. It's been really tough out there with the recession going on but the people still like to have a good time and look even if they can't purchase.And I really like that aspect of these events too. I get to know some very special folks.
I will continue to paint through the year so keep checking back on the blog for new postings. I've got a painting on the easel now..!

Saturday, Art on Main

Tomorrow from 10am-2pm we will be in Madison, Al. for the last show of the Art on Main series. As always I will bring an extra chair for you to stay and visit awhile. Should be a beautiful day. Come and enjoy some art.

Autumn's Glory- Finished

Well,
I think she's done. I made a few miner adjustments to sky color and some shading here and there, added some fallen leaves on the grass and fatten a tree up. Now I think I am just gonna get lost in it if I keep going with the brush. So, I'm setting down the brushes on this one. I can FEEL the crisp air and hear the rustling of the leaves. Ann really knew what she was suggesting when she asked me to put myself in the scene.
I hope you all like it.

Work in Progress

I hit a dry spell and called my friend Ann Hamilton, (artistretreat.blogspot.com) and we chatted. I told her that I wanted to do a landscape but was uninspired and she suggested that I place myself in the painting, in the landscape and feel the colors and textures all around me. Thank you Ann, that's all it took to start the creative process.
Me and my friend Michele, (Micheleleeart.com) spent some time together Saturday painting and chatting. I began this landscape and will continue working on it. It needs some more tweaking but I wanted to let you see where I was with it.

Pear Reflection

I had some friends over a few weeks ago and we all painted a little something. Here's what I did, a pear reflecting off a wooden shelf. It's an oil painting done on a wooden artist board. We also did tie-dye skirts and just had a real good time.
We have had company for a few weeks and I am now just starting to paint again after a long break. We'll see what's gonna come outta my brain and onto the canvas!

Sidewalk Arts Stroll

It's time again for the Huntsville Sidewalk Arts Stroll. This Thursday, downtown Huntsville at Constitution Village, 4:30-8:30pm. I should be on Gates ave. Hope to see you there. I will be bringing abstracts this time which means "LARGE" canvases. I'm excited about this Thursday's show. It's also the last Huntsville Arts Stroll this year.

Update:
Sorry folks, but due to weather conditions here, we decided not to go today to the Huntsville Sidewalk Arts Stroll.

Grand children painting

Recently, we had our daughter Dawn and her husband John staying with us for a week. This is my grand daughter Lizzie painting. Peeping at her in the background is Kayla , who will soon be my grand daughter too.




This one is Hattie, she never did complete her painting. She left it here at grandmas to continue next time.