A Little Closer to Cozumel

The impending winter weather in the forcast has me thinking of summer, sand, beaches and flip flops! I've made a little more progress on the Cozumel painting, which I started here.

I should be able to finish it up soon....barring anymore delays! I've already completely repainted the sky because I attempted to paint the boat and I didn't like it so in painting over it the canvas got a whole new sky. Thankfully I like this sky even better now!

Check back soon as I'm sure it won't be long and I'll be calling this one finished!

On the Way to Cozumel

This is the first time I've blogged an incomplete painting. There is much on my mind, making sleep far away. Rather than toss and turn and wake my sleeping husband I made coffee and contemplated what to paint. Yes, I made coffee at 2 am. I'm funny that way.

I have some unfinished commissioned projects I should be working on....but I need to buy some paint stripper to tackle one of the window frames before I can begin one...and the other can't be started until the first coat of gesso dries and perhaps another coat added.

I went through my file of photos I've saved for potential painting projects to see what, if anything, might jump out at me and say "paint me!!!" I kept coming back to one photo I'd received permission to paint months ago. I grabbed a small canvas and got to work.

I decided to blog as I go and let you see it as it progresses, and as I work on it between other projects. I'm hopeful the promise of a good beginning will result in a happy ending as well:

Sunrise at Highland Lakes

A few years ago I spent a week with the preteens from church as their counselor at preteen camp. While there, I would waken earlier than my girls and have my coffee and quiet time. One morning for quiet time I took my coffee and my camera and walked down behind the tabernacle to see the sunrise. It was so beautiful and amazing to watch the streaks in the sky behind the crosses. I took some photos...which of course later I turned into paintings. Here's the progress of the most recently painted window containing the scene:

Belize Canvas

Last summer friends went to Belize on vacation. Upon their return they shared photos of their trip. One of their photos inspired a painting that I have painted a few times.

Here's the progress of one of those paintings, on canvas, that was commissioned by the friends who took the photo I used.

I think I could certainly enjoy a view like this every day of vacation!!!

Blissdom

I'm unable to attend Blissdom but thanks to the One2One Network some of my painting projects are headed there as giveaway prizes.

My task was to incorporate the One2One logo into my product and send it to the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, TN where it will be delivered to a representative of the One2One network and given away at Blissdom.

I did not have time to create the requested 5 products, but here's what I am sending:

an acrylic painting on unstretched canvas, ready to be stretched for a 5x7 picture

Although Christmas has passed, I chose to paint the O2O logo on an ornament to represent in a small way, an item I actually do paint and sell with my painting business.

Ornaments

In addition to painting windows, I have been painting Christmas ornaments. As soon as I posted the first one on facebook the orders started pouring in! I already have some orders for next Christmas.
Here are just a few samples of some of the glass ornaments I sold:

I don't currently have any ornaments in stock. I sold every one of them I painted. I believe this year I'll need to get a much earlier start painting ornaments!!!

Norfork River

When my husband and I take trips back to my hometown, one of our new favorite pasttimes while there is to go canoing with friends along the Norfork River.

Our first trip canoing together was one day of my 20th high school class reunion. We've been hooked ever since.

One such trip down the river inspired this painting, which is available for sale on my etsy site:

Grandpa and Joey

"Grandpa, Can You Fix It?" is a 20"x24" canvas painting my aunt commissioned for a Christmas gift for my cousin Jennifer.

Joey, who is now a junior in high school, was just a little tyke when the photo this painting is based on was snapped. Grandpa has been gone since November 2008. I grew up living close enough to my grandparents that walking back and forth to their house was a very common thing, even multiple times a day. The photo this was based on just depicts how we all remember Grandpa: stopping in his tracks to fix whatever was broken.

There were a few times I wasn't sure I could finish the painting. Tears would be streaming down my face and I'd have to stop. At one point I told my husband, this is crazy. He said, no, not crazy, it just makes you remember your Grandpa vividly.

So Grandpa, this one's in memory of you, in honor of all your grandchildren who love and miss you so much.

Pottersville Church

This particular painting is a church I've painted a few times. It's an old abandoned church not far from my childhood home. My grandmother used to tell stories of attending this church. Although I have no memories of ever attending here, her stories make it a place dear to my heart.

As I posted progress pictures of the first painting of it I loved hearing feedback from facebook friends who had special memories of the church.

This is the first window I painted of the church:

This particular painted window recently was up for an auction to raise money for missions:

Saffold Dam

In November my painted windows were on display at a local coffee shop downtown. In the months leading up to the show I was very busy painting as many windows as I could to fill the shop. One of my favorites was one I planned to use as a focal point of the show: a painting of a nearby favorite location. As soon as I posted the finished painting on facebook a friend contacted me wishing to purchase it. When I explained I had hoped to display it at the show, he purchased it and let me use it in the show. He wanted the painting for a suprise Christmas gift for his wife, my friend Thien, who blogs here. It was so fun anticipating her reaction to his gift!

Both Thien and her husband Mark watched the progress of the painting as I posted photos on facebook. Thien just never knew it would soon be hers!

It was an honor for me that they wanted one of my windows hanging in their beautiful home. Apparently this favorite spot of mine, is a favorite of theirs as well!

Davis Creek Church

After a much too-long absence from blogging, here I am once more. Only this time, I have a brand new blog. I may still try to find the time to post on my other blog, but for now my heart is right here.


Last year, after a 2 year break of no painting, I picked up my paintbrushes again. I'll never know why I went so long without painting. It just felt so right, having a paintbrush in my hand, a project on the easel, and paint under my nails and on my jeans.


It is my plan to showcase past and current works here, and even to let you see the progress of many projects. And maybe, as new ideas surface,I'll let you in on them first right here.


I'm also in the midst of getting available paintings for sale uploaded to my etsy site. Keep checking back there because I'm not quite finished with that task yet either and there may just be something for you there.


In the mean time I'll let you see the progress of a painting that is near and dear to my heart. I began painting antique windows a few years ago. This particular project is a recent window painting. My husband and I found some old windows at my Grandpa's place in Missouri the  last time we went to visit. I brought them home, and selected this one. I taped it and prepared it for painting:

I decided to paint a sepia painting of an old church on this window; the church I grew up in; the church where my parents were married; where I met my Lord and Savior; where my grandfather was baptised; where my aunt attended school.

I considered posting the finished painting for sale when it was completed but my husband said, "you can't sell this one. It's your Grandpa's window, and the church where you grew up. This one, you should keep." I think he's right.

So as of a few days ago, this painting now resides in my living room:

I think it looks as if it was made for that corner, don't you?