Thursday, December 18, 2014

AUGSBURG PRESS

LAKE AND SKY

MORNING ALLELUIAS

PSALM 121 My help comes from the Lord, the maker of Heaven and Earth
These images have been chosen by Augsburg Fortress to be used on church bulletins for 2016. MORNING ALLELUIAS will be used for Easter and they will be printing 375,000!  This is a wonderful year end surprise. I didn't seek it out and the serendipity is delightful. I am really praising the Lord for this opportunity! I should probably get my paints out and get painting, but I have more quilting to do and that comes first. But I am reveling in the affirmation!

Saturday, December 13, 2014

THE LEARNING CURVE

The Learning Curve (detail)

The Learning Curve (detail)

The Learning Curve (detail)

The Learning Curve
This quilted wall hanging will hang in the guest room of my daughter's house and will match the green walls. Through this project, I learned to 'quilt as you go', how to make my own bias tape, and also how to create perfect circles out of fabric for applique. A learning curve, indeed! I'm thankful for videos on the internet that helped me make it through.

Thursday, December 11, 2014

AND we're back!

My web guy, Arend VanderPols (he's terrific), fixed the website in nothing flat! So it's ready to be browsed!

These photos show where my energy has been going since I found out our daughter will be having a child in February. These quilts are on the baby's crib in Denver waiting to snuggle him or her. I've been watching quilt videos while I'm on the treadmilll and learning all sorts of things. Today, I hope to finish a quilteed wall hanging that taught me circle making, bias tape making and "quilt as you go" techniques.




Thursday, December 04, 2014

Web site malfunction!

I was making changes to my website yesterday and it suddenly turned to text! Of course, my web guy is out of town. My apologies to anyone trying to access it right now. Images are still available on my computer if you need an Advent image. Email me at vwieringa@gmail.com

Sunday, October 05, 2014

Thursday, October 02, 2014

New shows of my artowrk

This week I'm hanging a major one person show of my artwork at Church of the Servant (3835 Burton SE, Grand Rapids, MI) I'll post pictures here when it's up. The ARTery is a long hallway, and I intend to fill it to the brim and I hope to not bring all of it home. There will be a price list in the office or available through me and the work will be very affordable.

In November and December, I'll be showing some of my Advent work at Bella Vista Church in Rockford and at Forest Hills Presbyterian Church. ( You can also see my whole body of Advent work here.

And finally, November 8 I will be joining with other artists for a one day show and sale. It should be a wonderful pre-Christmas opportunity to see and buy unique handmade work.


Wednesday, September 03, 2014

Psalm 130 revisited


I revisited this theme because frustration, anxiety and depression are realities in life and in faith communities. Psalm 130 is an honest plea for God to listen and pay attention to the psalmist and a reassurance of God's unfailing love. "I wait for the LORD. My whole being waits!" We get trapped in the mazes of our lives but God knows the way we take and God leads us up into the light!

Psalm 130   A song of ascents.

 Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;

    Lord, hear my voice.

Let your ears be attentive
    to my cry for mercy. 
If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
    Lord, who could stand?
 But with you there is forgiveness,
    so that we can, with reverence, serve you.
 I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,
    and in his word I put my hope.
 I wait for the Lord
    more than watchmen wait for the morning,
    more than watchmen wait for the morning.
 Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
    for with the Lord is unfailing love
    and with him is full redemption.

He himself will redeem Israel

    from all their sins.

Friday, August 22, 2014

ASCENT

ASCENT, Mixed media, Virginia Wieringa, 2014

This piece has been waiting for me to call it done. Today's the day. It reminds me of the tri-yearly journeys the Isrealites made to Jerusalem in the Old Testament.


Tuesday, August 19, 2014

A show at Beacon Hill





I'm pleased to display 10 of my paintings for 6 weeks at Beacon Hill, a Grand Rapids retirement community.

Saturday, August 09, 2014

There goes summer!

I have been enjoying summer and I've enjoyed a vacation from my paint. I've been playing with fabric and quilting. Nothing to post yet, but it's fun to step into a different way of dealing with color and shape. I do it badly, and my seam ripper is well used, but it's stimulating to think things through mathematically and watch quilting tutorials. I have some ideas of things I'd like to paint, but right now the surfaces in my studio are covered with fabric.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

2014 Advent Paintings

STAR OF WONDER, Virginia Wieringa, Acrylic 2014

STAR OF WONDER 2, Virginia Wieringa, Acrylic 2014


Emerging Star 2, Virginia Wieringa, Acrylic 2014


Emerging Star 3, Virginia Wieringa, Acrylic 2014



This series began in 1997 after an Advent sermon. These paintings were started last December of 2013. I have two Advent shows scheduled in churches in December 2014 and wanted to make sure these would be finished. Now on to other things...

I've 'watermarked' the image to prevent people just taking them and using them since they are my intellectual property. If you would like to pay and use a piece by permission, contact me at vwieringa@gmail.com and I can send you a high res JPEG without the writing.

Saturday, June 21, 2014

MORNING SAIL

MORNING SAIL Virginia Wieringa, Mixed media 2014

I just delivered this summery painted tissue collage to Fernwood 1891 in Fennville. Maybe someone will buy it as a summer momento!

Friday, June 13, 2014

Celestial Timing #5


This piece has been coming across my table for more than a year. It gets changed a little every time. There's something I really like about it, and something that's really bugged me about it. It's called 'Celestial Timing #5' and I think it might be done.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Faraway Farm

Faraway Farm
This 18" x 36" Acrylic was done as a gift for the 50th anniversary of the people who live here. I enjoyed a tour of the horse ranch as I took photos for reference. Lovely people in a  lovely place. Congratulations!

(Oh, my favorite part is the horse along the left fence.)

Thursday, May 22, 2014

F.A.R.M. exhibit in Lowell this summer

Allegan Fields 2- Acrylic, 2011, Virginia Wieringa

Rural Route 3- Acrylic, 2011, Virginia Wieringa
These two pieces will be included in the F.A.R.M. show at Lowell Arts http://www.lowellartsmi.org/#!farm-exhibition/c11tn this summer.

Monday, May 12, 2014

Festival 2014

These pieces were accepted into the regional competition Festival of the Arts 2014. They will hang at the UICA in Grand Rapids from the first weekend in June until August 17.

Barn Near Hamilton

Spaces Between 1
 

Thursday, May 08, 2014

Spaces Between 2

Spaces Between 2 Mixed media, Virginia Wieringa
This was done over a former painting. The painting underneath presents a nice surface and informs the new composition.
Spaces Between 1
I love doing these collages with tissue paper painted with acrylics. It's like quiliting, but the seat of your pants. I don't usually preplan these. This is built mainly on the design concepts of variety and repetition. At a certain point, I photograph the piece and evaluate what it needs by looking at it on the computer and adding things in Photoshop.

Tuesday, May 06, 2014

THIN PLACES


This collage, THIN PLACES, was created over the winter. It incorporates music and windows and circles to imply the thin place between the sacred and the earthly.

Monday, April 21, 2014

Aerials

On Wednesday I'll be putting up a show of 14 aerial paintings at Hope Reformed Church in Grand Rapids. I've always loved the view from an airplane.


Wednesday, April 09, 2014

Sunflowers in Nancy's Vase

Sunflowers in Nancy's Vase
All framed and ready to go. This piece will be at Fernwood 1891, a new gallery in Fennville MI

Sunday, April 06, 2014

Happy Dance!

HAPPY DANCE 2

HAPPY DANCE 3

HAPPY DANCE 4

HAPPY DANCE 5

HAPPY DANCE 6


During the dark days of winter, I played with bright colors and collage to ignore what was going on outside!


Monday, March 31, 2014

show at Trinity Methodist Church

On Saturday we put up 15 of my paintings in the lounge are of Trinity Methodist Church on Lake Drive in Grand Rapids. They will stay up until the end of July. The church is open during business hours during the week and of course on Sunday!

Tuesday, February 04, 2014

Cancer Awareness - BE


This piece was completed after a glancing blow by breast cancer. I incorporated some of the sticky things they put on my body during a scan. I incorporated music, because singing to myself during radiation kept me sane. Also, though I don't read music, I know a command to rest when I see one!

Monday, January 27, 2014

Fernwood 1891- a new opportunity


I have been invited to be a part of a new gallery in Fennville: Fernwood 1891 which will be opening in May!

https://www.facebook.com/Fernwood1891


Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Studio visits by appointment

I just got word that 89 ART scene in Fennville will be closing in February. It's been a great venue to share and sell my art, but as of February 15, we're done. Not enough artists to share the expenses.

Flat River Gallery and Framing is still rolling along, but I had decided to leave there in December. I was tired of the winter night drives and some of the other details. I'm still standing by that decision.

I guess my art will have to sell online and from my studio. If you're interested in seeing my work, contact me at (616)245-1565.