lol I am still trying this

so close and yet so far. I am not sure I will ever get this done. It is hard!!!!!!!! work

New Years Eve Fairy

Wow this is really alot of work and very tedious. I applaud folks who do this for a living. Well it wont be done for new years. ROFL

New Years Eve Fairy

well working more on my digital image

New Years Eve Fairy

New Years Eve Fairy

I drew this image and I hope to work on it with photoshop or Jasc to try to paint it. LOL wish me luck and Kammy if you have some suggestions about how I can go about it, please comment.

ah new year resolutions

Happy New Year Graphic Comments

Merry Christmas

I think this is harder then painting some massive landscape. I have a friend who likes to use mspaint to work on her images. I have even looked at some digital paintings on the web and I am like blown away. How do they do that. It turned out I didnt have mspaint on my computer so I downloaded open canvas. As soon as I started working it I realized it was just like Jasc paint shop which I do have. Well so much for all that preparation, I started working on this little thing. This is incredibly hard.
This is a link for some digital paintings I found on the web. How awesome. http://www.philipstraub.com/DinoDefender.htm. Lol it ain't me.

well the cards are getting there.

I am currently getting everything printed when I thought about some nifty saying to put inside. I pondered redoing the night before Christmas I think I worked it all out. I will post so you can follow along with my card creation.

Twas the night before Christmas, when all in my home
were finally asleep and now I’m alone;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that the gifting’s were all inside there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While worries of neglected things danced in my head.
The coffee pot brewed and full in my cup,
my mind so unsettled I wondered, “what’s up”?
I bought all the presents I think, my mind all cluttered,
I recounted them all as I sat there and muttered.
Abby a dress with a beautiful sash,
and Dylan a video game that cost me some cash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what from the corner of my eyes should appear,
a present I neglected to wrap very near.
With a swiftness of action, I wrapped it at last,
over all the years of practice, I was very fast.
More rapid than then ladies that wrapped in the store,
who wrapped things so carelessly asking for more;
Now, Dash make the cookies and quick make the bread!
if things were not done for the Christmas ahead.
The batter was ready and I still had some time!
So I heated up, that old oven of mine.
There still seem to be something I was missing somehow;
but for all the buzz in my head I couldn’t remember right now,
So rush to the oven before the beep
I wouldn’t want to disturb someone’s sleep
And, in a twinkling, dozens of cookies on a tray
Still left with the bread to be done by break of day.
As I took off the oven mitts and turned around,
I tripped on the rug and fell down with much sound.
As I got over the fall I quick peeked, just to see;
all I saw was the hint of a bruise on my knee.
Would any one notice I said with a shrug,
As I rubbed the ache, sitting on the old worn rug.
My eyes were so heavy as I climbed the stairs to my bed.
I stopped to kiss each child on the head.
I covered the baby all snugly and warm
and wondered why I felt so lost, forlorn.
As I patted the back of that baby, so comfy in bed.
I remembered the lost memory as I slapped my head.
The baby. the manger. the reason for the day.
In my hustle I forgot, much to my dismay.
I thought of His mother who stood over her child like me.
The Shepard’s all wondered what child could this be.
The tears in my eyes would not go away,
when I remembered the gift I was given this day.
So with a prayer for forgiveness I had nothing to fear;
for the touch of His presence was ever so near.
“This day is a celebration of my love” he said,
“You have made everything ready there’s nothing to dread”.
“I just wish in your planning you remembered Me.
It would have made things much easier you see”.
Love is the answer and the manger the clue
to all the good things in life just for you.
So in your preparations for the celebration of Christmas Day.
Please don’t forget the life that was given away,
To give peace and love for you and me,
Merry Christmas to you all the best that can be.

(ps, silly little poem I recreated from The night before Christmas. We know all the rush and hub-bub of life. Take time to enjoy the simple things in life.)

well its Wednesday. Not sure if those of you that know me are aware of the fact that I have been known to paint individual Christmas cards for each of our friends on card list. Time has tended to get away from me over the past few years. One year i painted Christmas ornaments for friends. Another year my card was angels that I crafted and sewed for each one. Last year the card was not as elaborate as we were involved with illness and death in the family. In fact I drew my card at the hospital bedside. Well I have been practicing my wc by doing my cards again. Some I like and some I don't so I may just print those that I do like and mass produce them. Time is running short for sure. 10 days till Christmas and I don't have the cards ready. But here are a few. i would be honored if you like an image and want to print it up for your friends, that's what Christmas is about, sharing the love of the season.

watercolor wednesdays

I was talking to Karen and I wondered why I seem to do so much better on little pictures then larger ones. I suppose because the image is small that composition has to be short and to the point instead of getting lost in the large picture and adding too much just to fill space. Simplify. I recently heard a statement to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak. It certainly works in 4x6 inch cards. Now if i can only take that to the larger areas.

find your wings

I meant to add this to the last post but old age forgets. Anyway for my grown friends and those that are growing in their lives and skills, this is for you with love.

the unknown

Today I had the novel experience of going to the post office to apply for a passport. Now that was an unknown experience for me. Even more filling out the form on line yesterday brought up the unknown. I had to call my sister to find out if she knew the birthplace of my parents as that was unknown for me. We could only guess on birth dates as that was unknown, so I left it as unknown on the form. Most people look to the future as an unknown. I looked at bits of my past as unknown and it brought back years of uncertainty. I know my mother was in the hospital most of my childhood. I was told that she had a brain tumor, but as I got older and with a nephew with schizophrenia, I came to the conclusion that she must have been mentally disturbed. My father left for the unknown. Oh, a few times he came back into my childhood to give all the appropriate concerns about getting the family back together only to slip into the unknown again. As children we were placed in homes that were unknown until we became accustomed to the environment. We had some good times and times of unknowns, abuse and insecurities. Needless to say I was abused in one of the worst ways a young girl could be. That brings me to religion. Don't get me wrong I have a deep faith and love for God. As a child of maybe 5 or 6 I would go out in the yard into my special place where I put a little cross and bring Jesus my little dandelions and buttercups I picked. Sometimes I wish I could go back to those simple times. Maybe I have really, as I have a simple faith and trust. Now the super spiritual and religious I shy from. My abuser was the deacon of the church, a soloist preferred to sing in the services. I can remember he had a beautiful voice, and had claim to the prophetic. It was in the dark of night that his evil side came out. Oh well I guess that I am in a mood with my birthday coming up with the unknown of yesterday. Today is all we are given. Tomorrow is unknown to most of us. I don't fear it as I have already face unknowns in my life. What we have is today to give ourselves to others and make someones unknowns bearable. and love as though it is our last day. And with Thanksgiving only 2 days away, I am thankful for love family friends and the gift I have been given in my love of making art. I may never make a fortune at painting. It's the experience of being like the Creator and make something out of the earthen pigments that companies have made to give us the tools to create with.

pastel work

I love thumbing through the pictures in the photo gallery on wet canvas. There are some great photographers there that share their images with people. I fell in love with this image immediately and needed to do it.

for Karens birthday

Drew this for a friends birthday. I am no way near the ability of Amanda but this is frim my heart

watercolor wednesdays

I am working on my cards for Christmas. sometimes the images are so good other times not, but still working

new watercolor wednesday.

I was a little down today and really needed to get out alone and just plug in my zen and just capture anything. LOL it was water color Wednesday. So it was nothing ventured nothing gained. The weather was too chancy to try to drag out the oils or pastels anyway. I am pleased with todays result. Overcast autumn skies trees and the lone church steeple jutting up into the whole mix. Almost like its standing up against the storms of life.

Its wednesday again already lol

I was planning to go out and maybe and realized Wednesday was here again. OK, so I did commit to watercolor wednesday so off I went. Im still trying to ger a handle on watercolors. They have in the past have been my Christmas cards, so if you know me you may get one.

watecolor wednesdays

Watercolor is one medium I am not strong in. I decided to do something like watercolor Wednesdays. So I keep on pushing myself in this challenging medium. It is more portable then my other standard mediums and at times it helps to do something else as it invigorates your other efforts.

pastel works

With the arrival of autumn, my favorite time of year, I have been getting out and doing some pastel work. I absolutely love autumn. It's better then a fashion show, because the world shows off its new fall line up. God is certainly better at it then all the fashion designers in the world. So stay tuned to the continuing fall fashion designs straight from heaven.

new blog

I decided to start a new blog of just photos of all the beautiful pictures God gives us every day. Since it is the start of fall, I figured its a good place to start. If you have any pics of beautiful places send them and I will add them to the blog.Include a short description for me to add to the post.

http://forbeautysake.blogspot.com/

working on an old image

This is one of the pictures I wanted to re-create from my workshop trip. I finally got around to do it. I like the result. The last one was toooooooo green. I wanted more depth and feeling. I hope that I have achieved it.

pastel plein air

Plein air done of a farm on a road I never went down. I love taking back roads cause you never see the little pieces of beauty that God gives you. Its just a wonder all the beauty of nature. And me a simple human trying to match the creator.

sheep pasture

I have this image from wet canvas that I just love. I did do it in wc but the paper ripped when I took the tape off, so redid in pastel

Pledge of allegiance

I got this in my email this morning. How awesome. May we never forget that we are One Nation under God

still working

I keep on plodding along. Working on oils. The first 2 pictures are watercolors, which I think Im finally getting a handle on it. I joined a new website Paintmap.com. Its pretty cool as you can upload your pictures that you painted and see the location on the globe. People from all over the world are placing pictures. Its a wonderful idea. Ah the world of art, a very solitary experience but then you can see the world of art from other solitary people. When your out plein air painting its just you and God out there. There are occasional passersby but for the most part for me its the spiritual experience of almost meeting God at the moment of creation.
I do wish my camera picked up the true colors. I guess I need a photo course.

let me fall

ok like you Kammy Im in the mode of ok what do I want of my life. As a critical care nurse I have seen alot of people die that are younger then me lately. It does get you to wonder am I making the best of my life. You started me thinking when I read your blog an painting for each song. The mantra for me right now is the song I posted on the page Let me Fall. I have been thinking I needed to put my feelings to that song. This is my result

new plein air painting

My latest plein air painting. I pass these hay bales every day and I just had to do them. I gave this to Paula, because she liked the other one I did.

challenge

working on a pastel for draw and paint site. not bad

since returning home

Well its been back to work and the house stuff. I haven't painted any oil paintings since I've been back. My daughter has a barn wall that she's been wanting a mural on, so guess what I've been doing? Painting a mural. Acrylic is not my favorite medium, but for areas that are gonna take some weather related abuse, I figure it will be more sturdy in the long run. It's on an inside wall so it probably will be ok. Did the sky the other day and today I'm working on mountains and trees. Have a basic sketch in mind, but I am making it up as I go. I will have to take a picture of it when I'm done.

last day of workshop

well the last day was today. We were all tired but persvered to the end. The picture of the meadow was done on Thunder Hill above Boone. It was so windy I had a hard time keeping my easel upright, and my canvas was hard to keep from flopping over into my wet palette. But I managed thankfully due to some very large rubber bands. Almost blown over myself at the time but I stayed upright and kept on going. The second painting was done at Bass lake. There were waterlilies scattered across the water that you may not be able to see in the photo. I have mixed emotions tired as anything but I dont want to leave such a beautiful area. Gods gift on earth.

workshop day 3

Well three days down. Already beginning to kind of feel sorry 2 more days then I have to head home. NC is such a beautiful area and the rest from home responsibilities is priceless, but I am getting tired. I get to paint all day but it is like going back to school. Well come Saturday I'll wish i didn't have to go home again.LOL

nc workshop day 2

day 1 Kevin Beck workshop

Have to say I didnt do bad here. He did a pastel demo. i decided to use oils cause my brushes haven't had much exercise lately. Ive been doing pastels and WC.I needed to play with some oils.

A view of the mountains

This place is gorgeous I could stay forever

traveling

well I didnt do well with the painting I did today. I have a whole new set of colors of paints the instructor wanted to be used at the workshop. Where my old reliables. I couldn't figure out how to mix them. Of course I am tired from all the driving yesterday but I just had to get out on the parkway. It is gorgeous.

Im off

Well traveled about 400 miles today by car. I'm heading for NC to take a painting workshop with an instructor I had about 5 years ago. It should be fun and educational. So I did spend most of the day driving. I hope to get on the Blue Ridge Parkway tomorrow and take pictures, view the scenary and hopefully paint. So heres to the next great adventure.

i love this song from the show

cant find this song anywhere on playlist

another form of art

well today is my oldest grandsons birthday. It has become a real tradition for me to make them cakes in the design they select. His is Indiana Jones. The last cake was from my youngest grandsons birthday. Speed Racer. So instead of painting as we have had a few birthdays lately, I have been making other creations. Wish you all could be here to celebrate. Happy Birthday Zack. Lol i didnt realize tht GiGi is in a picture in the background eating. How poetic. She died in November. I was saying to my husband this morning if she was here, she wouldnt be able to eat this cake because of the snakes. Absolutely terrified of them and couldn't even watch them on animal planet her favorite show. Well I guess she is still with us in a way. Now I think I will go have a cry.

How to See the Way an Artist Sees: See the Way an Artist Sees-Lesson#1

How to See the Way an Artist Sees: See the Way an Artist Sees-Lesson#1

Well I have been pushing myself with water color and I have to say Im improving. I bought a book by Stephen Quiller color choices. Now I didnt get all the paints till tonight but I did work bolder. One thing I have been having trouble with in WC so I have to say hooray, I am pushing through.

home

just a little view of home

being me

The art community that I belong to is going thru some growing pains. People seem to be intimidate by the ones that are so much better then they and almost feel like giving up. Some times you feel like you need to teach not painting basics but psychological encouragement. LOL. This is the post I gave and if anyone else needs words of encouragement here it is. While I agree that sometimes one can get intimidated by the excellence of some painters, but dont loose site of the reason you came here. To learn and teach and be a part of something. I like the friends I have made and each one has a little tidbit to give, and an inspiration if you look at something you like. Even looking at masters like Rembrandt, you feel like,"I'll never paint like that". Just remember you are you and when you create there is no one else in the world that has your voice thoughts and feelings. I remember a quote and I can't remember where I read it. But it goes something like "you are the only you that will ever be. If you fail to be what you are, what you could have created will be lost forever". Don't worry about anyone else. Seek you own voice style and practice and learn. It's a journey of discovery that takes forever. Even professional artists will tell you that they are still in the process of learning and changing. New colors ideas and styles. Making a mark is an ever changing expression. So be all that only you can be. It's a journey of joy hope discovery and a passion that can not be denied. Dont loose yourself in anyone elses work. Loose yourself in your own and you will find that artist thats begging to get out.

pushing myself

as of late I have been busy with everything but oils or pastels. I have been doing some drawing. Today I went out plein air and since I had little time, I decided on a WC. I suppose someone out there may understand, but i have had this need to push myself beyond my comfort zone. WC has always been hard for me cause I end up with using too much water and end up with weak tints. And drawing, I never really explored the medium in college classes in drawing. It was mostly capturing gesture and the wackiest thing you could do, the instructor was pleased with. They were mostly into abstract and I don't lean that way. Someday I will have to post the pictures that really got his attention and at least some acknowledgment. It was a painting that ended up in an art show. My daughter now owns it. But the idea was the same pushing out of my comfort zone produced good results. The trouble is it was a figure, and I can't say it was the best figure, but it was the idea of a theme that pleased him. Any watercolor painters out there, I would really appreciate some tips,(serious tips) to improve myself. I find I'm just not satisfied these days with the mundane and the same old thing. IDK, maybe its growing pains, but I'm really kind of I really don't know what I'm kind of! LOL. I guess this really belongs in a private diary of some kind, but I'm putting it out there. Maybe someone else feels like me and we can share the growing pains together or whatever it is.