I haven't been blogging much this year. Instead of taking a lot of photographs, I have been forced to stay at home quite a bit. Rather than mope about because I have not been able to get out at dawn or dusk with my camera, instead of sitting on my front porch with hopes that some exotic bird would come perch on my pecan tree branches, I did something totally surprising. I picked up a paint brush and attempted to paint.
After spending quality time with fellow artists at the Seguin Art Gallery while docenting twice a month, I wished I could also express myself through the medium of paint on canvas, just like the artists I had come to know and respect. So, I bought a few small canvases last May and painted some of my butterfly and flower photos. It was so much fun, I began to paint a few small greeting cards using my acrylic paints. Then, I bought a children's book of illustrations by Mary Engelbreit and I attempted to copy some of her work. After several working hard to copy some one else's work for several weeks, I wanted to try copying one of my own works, so I picked out one of my favorite portraits and started to paint.
This is the very first portrait I ever painted. This is Sam, one of my grandchildren. I have to say that I was totally surprised at the finished painting. Now, I am not even remotely implying that I am some sort of master, or anything like that. I am just saying that I had NO idea I could even begin to paint, much less come up with a finished work that sort of looks like the person in the photo.
What a surprise for a fifty-seven year old grandmother of twelve wonderful children. It seems like God has given me a wonderful treat, this gift of being able to express myself in a new and creative way. So, want to share my artistic journey with my blog readers....
"Sam"
11x14 Acrylic on canvas
Next, I pulled up a photo of my daughter Kimberly and her son Jonathan. This was taken in a field of wild flowers with a rusty but gorgeous tin shed in the background. For the painting, though I chose not to include the shed. As I neared completion, I took this painting up to the Art Gallery, and Janelle, on of my favorite art friends, gave me a great tip. She said that she had taken a class where the instructor suggested that each of the four corners of a painting be different, to make a work more interesting, less boring. So, I changed one of the bottom corners, and lightened up the top right corner, though you can't see much difference in the final product. Thanks, Janelle!!!
"Picking Wildflowers for Mommy"
11x14 Acrylic on canvas
For my third painting, I wanted something that had a little more man-made elements in it, instead of sky and flowers, or just a plain cream colored backdrop. So I chose a photo of Kaylie, another grandchild, as she sat on a mechanical horse at one of the pizza palaces.
This is the first painting in which I added some gold accents, using a gold ink pen. You know, a little bling is a nice thing! I wasn't as pleased with the busyness of the background in this work, and I am not real crazy about the proportion of her shoulders to her face. Nonetheless, for my third attempt, I think I learned much, and that is important.
"Kaylie"
11x14 Acrylic on canvas
One Sunday, after church was finished and folks were leaving, I noticed one of the little girls. She had on a very elegant dress, with black velvet and a shiny red sash. She had on nice black tights and white shoes, but her shoes were both unbuckled. It reminded me of myself when I was that age. I used to do the same thing, run around like that with my shoes unbuckled. So, I grabbed my camera and asked her mom if I could take a picture of her little girl with the intention of painting a picture of her. The momma said yes, so I asked Allie, the young girl, if she would model for me. We went back inside the church and I gave her a hymnal to hold.
Unfortunately, I have not been able to get Allie's face quite right, though I have changed the eyes several times, and changed the mouth several times. Finally, I just called it quits. This little girl is pretty, and she kind of looks like Allie, but I was not able to catch the essence of her to my satisfaction. I have to keep telling myself that this is only the fourth portrait I have ever painted. Without formal training or a coach, I am on my own. I don't want to be too hard on myself, but my goal is not to create just a pretty picture. I want to be able to create a work that shows why I think a person is so special and beautiful, because God created each of us with love. If I have not captured that special look, then I don't count it a success.
"The Sunday Dress"
11x14 Acrylic on canvas
Lo and behold, two more sweet little girls caught my eye on a following Sunday, so I set them up on the opposite pew and asked them to hold the big church Bible. I didn't want them to give me a canned smile, so I asked them to find the pretty pictures in the Bible. The older sister took charge and started turning pages, one by one, while I talked to them and clicked away. They got used to the camera and forgot about it as they looked for a picture. Finally, Hailey found a picture. Little Allison quietly looks at it while her big sister happily talks about it.
"Sunday Stories"
14x18 Acrylic on canvas
Just a side note...I have decided I love to paint little fingers, so I look for photos or take photos with that in mind. My next project, which I have just started blocking out, is another in the "Sunday" series, but this time, I am painting a very special couple who have been married for over sixty years. They are posed sitting on the front pew, with their open Bibles in their lap, and I asked the gentleman to tell his wife he loved her. He turned to her, and the love in both their eyes is awesome. I hope I can do them justice.
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