REDEEMED 2

This is a recent piece completed on a piece of 300 lb watercolor paper I saw in the trash at a workshop. That stuff is too expensive to not have a second chance to I 'redeemed' it and obliterated what was on it under layers of paint. So I guess Redeemed has two meanings here.

It's the second painting in a series. I posted the first one July 2nd. That was painted to go in a frame I redeemed and repainted. Maybe all the pieces in the Redeemed series will mean salvation through Christ and new life for old materials considered worthless in another context and now worthy to be saved and honored! Whew! That's a little heavy!

TREES ON 56th version 2005

I thought this one was done in 2005, but I was wrong. There are some things I really like about it, but the following posts will show you where it has gone this week.

TREES ON 56th version b

TREES ON 56th version c

Almost there.

TREES ON 56th- final version

AERIAL VIEWS 2 and 11- 2005

This is the way these paintings looked last week. The current versions are in the following post.

AERIAL VIEW 2 AND 11 -2007

These are the updated version of paintings that have been hanging around since I thought they were finished in 2005- I think they're truly finished now. There are some things I liked about the first versions, but this is what staisfies me today.

new postcard

I've been working on a new postcard I'll send out to promote a solo show I'm having in the fall at the Wyoming Library. I spent hours this week with my friend Mary Andersen (http://www.maryeandersen.com/) working on a PowerPoint presentation of her work she's presenting at MANNA on Monday (www.mannagr.blogspot.com). We were laughing about how people think the life of an artist is all about pushing paint around and they don't see the bits and pieces that take up hours. Promotion, preparation, accounting, arranging for shows, applying for shows are the left brained part of this art business. Time to go push some paint around!!

VINEYARD

This is the last of the little postcard sized paintings I did up North. Not sure it's done, but I'm trying to avoid being too 'finished'. I've been working on a few things since we've come home, but they have not been photographed. It's been fun having this 'stash' of photos to blog from.

Here's a quote:

"When love and skill work together
expect a masterpiece." (John Ruskin)

I found that on the Painter's Keys this
morning and it's worth chewing on...
it's the Robert Genn twice weekly newsletter.
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HOLLYHOCK

Ah, summer!

BIRDHOUSE

Not sure that this is done.
Not sure it has to be.
It's just a record of a lovely day
up North in Michigan.

BIRD HOUSE AND HOLLYHOCKS

Another little sketchy watercolor.

ONE MORE SUNFLOWER

One more sunflower painting.
A long one this time.
I cut a mat and put it in a little gold frame and a and it's out at the gallery in Lowell.

Fire and Water ART
219 West Main

BEACH PATH

This is another of the little watercolors from last week - 4x6.

SUNFLOWER 6

This is the last of the watercolor sunflower series...for now. There may be some acrylic ones in the future. There are a few more coming of other subjects.

SUNFLOWER 5

This was done with watercolors and watercolor pencils.

SUNFLOWER 4

Talk about quick! My brush was a blur on this one.This actually looks like two separate pieces to me, top and bottom halves. There's something here that may transfer onto canvas or a larger paper, if I could keep it loose enough.

SUNFLOWER 3

Obviously I was having a good time with the sunflower concept. It's fun to work quickly.

SUNFLOWER 2

SUNFLOWER 1

This is the first in a series of tiny 4x6 and 5x7 paintings done in the last week during our stay at Camp Tosebo. I have a travel watercolor paint kit and it was fun to work in such a compact way in a lovely spot.

CAMP TOSEBO map and paintings

This is another postcard I'm working on for Camp Tosebo. This one is part them and mostly shameless self promotion. It's the map I drew and painted last year flanked by paintings I've done there or that were inspired in that locale. Some of these paintings are hanging in various locations at the Camp.

www.tosebo.com if you're interested. Great rentals available.

SPIRAL compositions

These are nonobjective and fun compositions I did to fit in three retro frames I came across. I did 4 compositions so I could choose the strongest 3 to frame. Any opinion?

REDEEMED 1

This is a new piece. There are more on my work station but this one is the first in this series

I haven't really done much that feels finished and decent in what seems like a very long time. I also have the frame and mat ready so I'm looking forward to having the satisfaction of seeing it all the way done!

The piece uses my 'vocabulary' of symbols in a continuation of the meditation of the mysteries of life.

Mary Katherine Conover at 17

Another charming photo of my mother-in-law.
She's 17 years old in this picture taken in 1937.

I haven't blogged regularly of late because of her recent death. So many things to be done. Many pictures are turning up that we haven't seen before. I'm organizing and archiving them and printing some for family members.

The process of looking back at a life well lived is a privilege and deepens my wondering about God and the way our lives are put together. What a mystery our lives are!

Mary Katherine at 6

This charming little photo was found in Fred's mother's effects. We think it was probably taken when she was five or six in 1925 or 26. What a glimpse back in time! She had that sweet charming nature even then!

POPPY 1 and 2

2- 6 inch square boxes

PORTAGE LAKE SUNSET

Sitting in HOT Grand Rapids, longing for Portage Lake!

SANCTUARY #3

Sanctuary #3 was purchased yesterday and is on its way to Canada. I was honored to meet Sylvia Keesmaat and her mother Irene Keesmaat who were in Grand Rapids to attend the Synod of the Christian Reformed Church. Sylvia included some of my work in a devotional booklet she edited for use with meditations about the use of the gifts of women in the church. Irene is also an artist and lives and works in Caledonia, Ontario. It was a delight to visit with them.

so nice

My mother-in-law died this weekend after a long illness. As I was talking to someone today at church, I was remembering how she was so terrified to go to the doctor or the hospital but then afterwards she would invariably say "Everybody here is so nice!"
I imagine her now, all 4'3" inches of her amongst the saints and angels, saying "Everybody here is so nice!" I like that image a lot! Thought you'd enjoy a chuckle along with us as we celebrate the life of that sweet woman who was niceness personified.

This is a sketch I did of her in the care center a few months ago.

Fire and Water business card

Obviously, I've been spending quite a bit of time with graphic design for the Fire and Water Showroom! Actually, I have done a few small pieces of my own art but none photo worthy as yet.

happiness is a journey

Happiness Is A Journey... Father Alfred D'Souza

For a long time is seemed to me that life was about to begin -- real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life. This perspective has helped me to see there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So treasure every moment you have and remember that time waits for no one. Happiness is a journey, not a destination. GREAT quote! Don't know who he was, but that is some serious wisdom! Also attributed to him sometimes is: Happiness is a journey, not a destination. Dance as though no one is watching you. Love as though you have never been hurt before. Sing as though no one can hear you. Live as though heaven is on earth.

one more postcard

This is a standard size postcard I did for the Fire and Water ART Showroom. I find this a really fun process. Maybe because I'm so excited about the place!

fire and water showroom postcards

These are postcards I just designed for the showroom. We use Vistaprint.com for our printing and we are delighted with their work! What a user friendly site!

Fire and Water Showroom! The BLOG!

The Fire and Water Art! Showroom is the brain child of Kathleen Mooney who invited other artists to rent with her space at 219 W. Main in Lowell, Michigan. We've been together and selling art and giving art classes and generally having a good time together since November of 2006. Looking forward to a great summer! Check out www.fireandwaterart.blogspot.com.
I'm honored to be in this Showrrom with such talented people!

LILACS

A quick 12" square acrylic sketch in response to the glories of lilacs!

FORGET-ME-NOT

These sweet little blue flowers were all over Camp Tosebo last weekend. The pale blue carpet in the woods is amazing. There are lots up by the craft house like in this plein air painting from last year. I transplanted some in to a little rock garden by the Trunk House and they jumped right up like they hadn't been uprooted. I also found a patch of pink ones. I transplanted some down to my garden in the city and you can see they look pretty happy amongst the other eclectic mix of survival-of-the-fittest in the back garden. I hope they spread a lot of seeds!

PANSIES

It's hard not to respond to flowers this time of year. I was playing with some paint at the Fire and Water Showroom while I was gallery sitting and David had brought pansies for his class and that's what my painting turned out to be. Then I went on a photographic tour of a local greenehouse just to feed my eyes with all the color! What a great time of year!

be joyful

"Be joyful, though you've considered all the facts."

Wendell Berry

One of my favorite authors of all time. He wrote the novels Hannah Coulter and Jayber Crow and many others. I've loved them all. He also wrote this poem:

The Wish to Be Generous

All that I serve will die, all my delights,
the flesh kindled from my flesh, garden and field,
the silent lilies standing in the woods,
the woods, the hill, the whole earth, all
will burn in man’s evil, or dwindle
in its own age. Let the world bring on me
the sleep of darkness without stars, so I may know
my little light taken from me into the seed
of the beginning and the end, so I may bow
to mystery, and take my stand on the earth
like a tree in a field, passing without haste
or regret toward what will be, my life
a patient willing descent into the grass.

~ Wendell Berry ~

(The Collected Poems, 1957-1982)

RAINBOW JOY

Someone said these dancers looked like marionettes.
Showers of blessings is an idea I like better!

icons in progress

This is a portion of my daughter's room which I've claimed for my own (since she's lived away from home now for many years). Obviously, I've got a few icons 'in the fire'. I should spend some time on them, but there are lots of creative projects calling my name- when there aren't other things that have to be done.

Festival acceptance

These two paintings will be in the Festival show at the Grand Rapids Art Museum in the next month. The Poppy Field and Vineyard of recent posts were 'declined' and will be going out to Fire and Water Art! in Lowell. Maybe they'll find a home.

My friend Mary Andersen had all 4 pieces accepted!! Shout out to Mary! Go, Girl! Check her website at www.maryeandersen.com