Fish

I know its been a while, yet again. This summer thing made me really lazy. In the past few weeks, I have started graphic design school again. We are in the process of buying a house. Needless to say, my creative juices are flowing yet again. I was recently on the graphic design website for my school and found that one of my projects from last semester was in the student gallery. I was flattered. Each of our projects for this class had to revolve around a specific phobia. I chose ichthyophobia, which is the fear of fish.

This whole graphic design thing is much more difficult than I expected. Part of the reason for that being that I have a hard time operating technology! Maybe I'm in the wrong field again. But I do enjoy learning it.

Finished Alamo

A while ago, I wrote about how I was doing a painting for one of my friends. Although we both agreed that a picture of the Alamo might be a little odd, I thought I'd give it a try. I wanted it to look really fun and unique, so I ended up collaging the pathway. I loved the way it looked. I loved it so much that all of my creative ambition were satisfied for a long time. The canvas sat like this for about two months.

A few weeks ago, I realized that my friend was coming into town soon and I needed to get this painting finished! I worked really hard and I didn't know if I could pull it off in time. I actually began to loath the painting and I felt terrible about it. I'll just be honest, it looked like crap. Somehow, as I reached the end of the process, it all began to come together.

This is the finished product. I really think its cool. I'm very happy with it and my friend is as well.

The Alamo, etc.

As I mentioned in my last post, I have a very dear childhood friend name Abby who asked me to do a painting for her. What was going to be one large painting has probably turned in to 4 paintings of various sized and of various scenes. I did some drawings for her so she could see what she might want. She and her husband lived in San Antonio while he was in med. school. She thought that a painting of the Alamo might be something nice to have, as they are now living in Virginia. So this is what I came up with...

Even though she liked the drawing, we both agreed it might be odd to have a giant painting of the Alamo above your couch. So I drew this next...

I thought we had a winner here, but she just informed me that they are moving in a few months and want to see what their new place will be like before I really get started on anything. I might end up doing a set of 4 paintings of different landscapes. I'm really looking forward to seeing what we come up with.

I still have yet to pick up a paintbrush...

Seasons

The other day, my husband was cleaning out one of our closets and found this painting. I started them 2 years ago and forgot about them. I wanted to do a set of paintings that portrayed the four seasons, so I thought I would put a twist on it and do seasons in Florida. The changes in seasons aren't very noticeable in Florida, so I wanted to do changes in weather. One with clear skies, one with white clouds, one with dark clouds, and one with a storm. As you can see, I didn't get very far with it. At the time I felt like I really messed up the palm tree and I didn't even attempt to start the other ones. Looking back on it, I actually like the palm tree. I still want to try to do these paintings. don't know if I will try to finish the one I have or if I will just start over.

Its Officially Springtime!

I never thought I would be so happy to have hot weather again! It has been the longest and coldest winter I've ever seen in Florida. Thank you Lord for some springtime and beach weather!
I painted this a few months ago. It took me about 10 minutes to paint. Its nothing special but its sort of cute. I thought I would post it in honor of amazing and beautiful weather that we are now having.
I haven't been seriously spending a lot of time on painting lately, but I hope I will get back into it soon... Right now I'm going to the beach.

Palm Sunday...

I finished this one a few days ago, but I thought today would be a good day to post it... because its Palm Sunday. I like the way the branches turned out. I didn't really think about it when I was painting it, but I guess its sort of significant to have the cross with the palm branches.

More Leaves

I started working on this one this past summer. I was almost finished with it, but for some reason I let it go for a while. I just started working on it again. It just needed a little cleaning up. So I finally can call it finished!! I think I like it. I copied it from a picture I found in a gardening magazine...

I haven't worked on the sea grape leaf again...

Joyful, Prayerful, Thankful

So its been a crazy month. I quit my job, had 2 health scares, and got food poisoning within the last few weeks. I haven't painted in a while. I have been bouncing back and forth between anxiety and depression. But I have a new motto and it is to "Be joyful. Be prayerful. Be thankful." It has made a huge difference in my life.

This is something I did when I was a senior in high school. It is probably my favorite thing I've ever done. I don't think I can top it. I guess I reached my peak at 18. I think I was just a lot more patient back then. I wish I could be that way now.

I have picked up that old 12x12 canvas that has already been 2 different paintings. I have to say, I'm not too impressed with what I've done. But I will say, it looks a lot better in person than it does in this picture. I realize it looks a little splotchy and "cartoonish" but I will do my best to fix it!

It's a sea grape leaf I found on the side walk one day when I was walking. Even though I hope to move someday soon, I realize that I am very fortunate to live in a place that has sea grape leaves!

Finished Peacock Painting

This is the first painting I've finished in forever! And I like it a lot.















16x20

Unfinished Peacock Painting...

It feels like forever since I've written anything, but it hasn't even been a week! This is what I've been working on lately. I am really liking it so far... what a change for me. I had to simplify the bottle because doing it exactly like the one I have turned out to be more complicated that I thought! I am hoping to finish it next week...

Peacock Feathers

So I sadly have to admit that I gave up on the Celtic cross. I really just grew to hate it. I thought it was embarrassing and really saw no hope in fixing it. I painted over it with grey. You can still see the outlines... I'm just putting that canvas aside altogether for now. I think my main problem with the Celtic cross was that I had no idea what I was going for. I did not draw it in advance, which is what I usually do. So learning from my mistake, I drew what I want my next painting to look like. I bought this bottle at an antique store a long time ago... and who doesn't love peacock feathers? I am hoping for the best with this one!

Turtle Painting Fiasco

Last weekend, my husband and I went to an art show across the street from our house. Walking through the different tents, I noticed one with carved wooden Maasai men. As soon as I saw them, I knew where the artist must be from... so I went up and asked him "Are you from Kenya?" and he said "Yes!!" We talked for 15 minutes and it turns out that I had visited the town where he is from. Meeting him made my day! I wanted to buy one of his stone animals, so I got this little turtle. It may be a tortoise. I don't really know. I thought it would be a great subject of a painting.

This is what I started to paint. Then I realized, I couldn't really see a turtle in this painting. I just hated it... so I went over it with turpentine and now its gone. Now that I'm looking at it again, I don't think its that bad and maybe I should have kept it! I will probably paint another cross... and I'll just have to paint the turtle another time.

12x12

Elephants

I have been collecting elephants since I was about five years old. A family friend, who is like a grandmother to me, collects them and she is the one who got me started. She is supposedly leaving me her huge collection in her will. I've had most of my elephants since I was a kid, and I don't remember where I got most of them. Hopefully, I will always remember that my husband bought me this cute elephant lamp for Christmas this year.

So because I love elephants, and I am on this new painting kick, I decided to try painting an elephant using the lamp as a model. This is what I came up with. It looks a little childlike, but I think its cute. I wanted him to be on the Maasai Mara, because that's the best place for an elephant to live. If you ever start an elephant collection, it's important that their trunks are upward. Elephants with their trunks down are bad luck!11x14