Vintage Christmas?

I seem to be in a vintage and sepia mood with my paintings lately:

2011 Ornaments

Summer months find me with little time to paint. As fall arrives I'm drawn more and more to my art room to work on projects. I've begun with a few new ornament designs, some of them at the request of a friend. I'm just beginning and before Christmas I'm sure there will be many many more, but here are the first few:

Contact me if you're interested in ordering custom ornaments for Christmas gifts!

Key West

Just after my husband and I celebrated our 20th anniversary, our friends John and Kendra also celebrated their 20th anniversary. They celebrated with a trip to the Florida Keys. Kendra took some amazing photographs on their excursion and I've recreated one of her scenes here, painted on an antique window:

Mark and Grandpa

I haven't spent a great deal of time painting lately...painting pictures anyway. Painting walls is another story. My good friend Thien commissioned me to paint a surprise gift for her husband for their anniversary. Mark is a beekeeper and was taught the skill by his uncle, aka "Grandpa." The painting depicts an image of Mark and his uncle heading out to check on bee hives.

I always love being part of special surprises such as this one!

If you remember, Mark surprised Thien at Christmas with a painting of one of their favorite places in Seguin. You can check that painting out here.

Wordless Wednesday

For more wordlessness, click here.

Painting Auction for Missions

This painting is up for bids:

This 16"x20" acrylic painting on canvas of Coconut Beach in Brazil is being auctioned off for missions. I am the director of our church's VBS and every year the girls and boys have a contest to raise money for missions. This year their offering will be given for building a church that our church helped plant in Coqueiro, Brazil. My husband, my pastor and his wife, and many of our friends have been on mission trips to the area. To place a bid for the painting, leave a comment of your bid amount beneath the photo on my facebook page (click here). Highest bid placed by midnight Saturday night, June 11, 2011, wins the painting. 100% of the proceeds from the painting will be sent to Brazil for building the church. VBS begins Monday, June 13. Of course the proceeds of this auction will be added to the GIRLS contributions! This painting based on a photo taken in Brazil by my husband while he was on his last mission trip to the area in 2009.

Wordless Wednesday

For more wordlessness, click here.

 

Golden Sunset

A single scene painted across 2 windows. I sold several of this scene last year.

Leesville Baptist Church

My friend Darla commissioned me to paint a church in the community where she grew up. She wanted it painted in sepia on an antique window.

She chose the window from what I had available, a 30"x17" window with 3 panes. This is the church where her brother (who is also her pastor) grew up and where he was baptised. A lot of sentiment and memories lie within the walls of this church and community for her and for her family. I enjoyed getting a glimpse into my friend's past as we explored the area and she shared stories and memories!

Hummingbird in Flight

Most mornings this week I've been enjoying watching and photographing hummingbirds from my back deck. Some of the photos can be found here on my photography blog.

I finished a commissioned window painting and decided before tackling the next one to paint something that I want to paint: one of the hummingbirds I've been photographing:

 

Mirror Lake

One of my favorite places to explore when I go back home to the Ozarks for a visit, is Blanchard Springs in Arkansas. Every visit has proven to be peaceful and beautiful. Last summer was my husband's first trip to see the place I love so much. I would love to see the area in the fall, abundant with all the colors that autumn brings to the area.
Of course I took many photos of our trip, which can be found here.

When we visited everything was very lush and green. I took photos of the lake, always imagining what it might look like splashed in the colors of fall.

I decided to paint a scene of Mirror Lake (information about the area can be found here) but I decided to use a bit of "artistic license" and painted the image how I have seen it in my mind, abundant with color:

The painting is available on my etsy site here. It is painted on an antique window, also from the Ozarks.

Belize Window

Can you imagine waking up to this view every morning? A friend captured this scene with a camera while on vacation in Belize. This was the scene from their condo. I've been given permission to paint a few images of it from the photograph.

This window is available for sale on my etsy site here.

....Go in peace. Your journey has the LORD’s approval.

Judges 18:6

Florida Pier

Last year I was browsing a Florida friend's facebook photos and ran across one I wanted to paint. I requested permission to lift the photo to use and after receiving it began painting my version of the scene on a window:

... “Be still, and know that I am God...

Psalm 46:10

Scripture Pendants

My latest pendants designs are scripture pendants. I've had requests to use these pendants to create keychains. Guess what my next venture will be?!
In the mean time, here are the first of the scripture pendants I've created:

All of these are now available on my etsy site.

Kids and Art

Yesterday was the first of what is planned to be an anuual Art Fest for our little town. Many many people came out to see the displays of the local artists (both performing arts and visual arts). Our booth was located next to the art league's booth containing a mural the children would paint on throughought the day. How fun to sit next to that and see all the children involved in art all day long. I loved it!