Watercolor?!

Every artist faces stumbling blocks and has to choose whether to let those blocks stop them or inspire them to push forward into new growth. Watercolor is one of my stumbling blocks and this week I decided it was time to get busy and figure out this tricky medium. Most artists I know will say it's one of the hardest mediums. if you create a mark you don't like, it can be very hard to cover it up, or hide. 

So "this here barn" is my first attempt at a more realistic watercolor approach (as opposed to the washes and fun color I usually use it for). There's a lovely red tractor in the barn, but the photo doesn't show it.

There are definitely things I would change if I could do it over...BUT I CAN'T because it's watercolor -_- (If it was oil paint, I could just keep pushing forward) 

11"x14" watercolor on paper

"I Like the Tree, the Horse, the Barn and Especially the Clouds" 

(How's that for a title?!)

"Who Got the Last Word?"

     It used to be that I became uncomfortable when a client would ask me to create something outside of my usual style. Mainly because I worried that I might be pushing my luck as far as my ability to match their vision. Some part of me has developed more of a sense of adventure with my art which is infinitely more fun because the same challenges that used to cause hesitation now bring excitement. So much of creating a piece of artwork is about being willing to see where the idea takes you and how you will respond to its challenges.

     This painting was created to accompany another "Dali-esque" painting, surreal in style, that my client had and wanted a companion piece (in ink and watercolor) to hang in the same room. Surrealism is most definitely a far stretch from my more realistic comfort zone. 

     I played with some different ideas and ended up with a tree that had somewhat of a facial structure. I really can't pinpoint what made me think of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, but I liked the idea of capturing it as something other than an apple tree. Eve at this moment might be pondering whether she should listen to what God told her or give into the temptation to choose otherwise. Outside the Garden of Eden story, there is a tension that alludes to similar choices we individuals make on a daily basis. The butterfly hovering by the tree is symbolic of the resurrection, reflected in 1 Corinthians 15 (MSG):

Death swallowed by triumphant Life!
Who got the last word, oh, Death?
Oh, Death, who’s afraid of you now?

It was sin that made death so frightening and law-code guilt that gave sin its leverage, its destructive power. But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three—sin, guilt, death—are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God!

Trio of Boots

     My client snapped an endearing photo of her husband's and sons' boots all lined up together - being a mother myself, I knew just how she felt looking at those smaller boots next to her husband's and thinking "How fast they grow!" Wanting to capture that moment, she asked me to paint the trio of boots as a Father's Day gift. These are not fancy, cowboy boots...they are working, exploring, feet protection for guys and it was important to me as an artist to reflect that in their texture and worn feeling. I'm sure lots of great father and son memories were made in these boots!

“When you see someone putting on their 

Big Boots, 

you can be pretty sure that

an Adventure is going to happen.”

― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

Bird Watching

Mr. Great Blue Heron is watching the people and viewer's of the painting are watching him...hence the title, "Bird Watching."

This commission was a fun collaboration with my client. Her input: "lots of beautiful blues, a portrait of the Great Blue Heron that often visits down by the water, and my family hunting for seashells in the background." 

The more I paint birds, the more fun I think they are. I have a photo of a particularly cocky seagull staring me down in San Francisco that might be fun to play with one of these days!


"Bird Watching"
36"x48" oil on canvas
Private Collection

Schilo's To Go

As the sign says, "Ringa da bell!"


Our family is so busy, sometimes I think we might as well have a bell to ring in our own kitchen for the food that goes out the door as takeout. If I make it, it tends to be healthier, but when I'm painting, everyone's on their own!


As you walk into the door of Schilo's Delicatessen in San Antonio, a long, sleek counter invites you to come in and take note of all the tasty offerings available for dining in or taking out. I loved the contrast between the old set of scales and the modern, shiny meat slicer. Personally, I've only ever eaten in because I go for the atmosphere as much as the food, but I imagine locals appreciate that they can get their food on the go and avoid the crowds.


Wish I had a piece of that pie right now...and some root beer.


"Schilo's To Go"
10"x14" oil on canvas
(available)

"Beloved"

"In Jesus Christ,

God has entered into our lives

in the most intimate way,

so that

we could enter into his life

through the Spirit."

~Henri Nouwen

"Beloved"

30"x40" acrylic on canvas

Pheasant Brothers

This was a new experience for me, painting birds - at least in such detail. When I accept a commission, it's fun to have the opportunity to paint something I probably wouldn't think of painting on my own.   I knew absolutely nothing about pheasants so I immersed myself in learning about them as I didn't want to make the mistake of painting them or their habitat in error. Introduced to North America from Asia, pheasants are a widely established game bird. I had no idea the variation in their feathers and colors. Thankfully, I was able to obtain two taxidermied specimens to view while I painted. That was a huge help. Symbolically, pheasants in art have represented eternity and redemption along with their peacock cousins.


"Pheasant Brothers" 16x20 oil on canvas
Private Collection

Pet Portrait Fun

I'm not trying to be "punny" when I say that creating a special pet portrait for a client leaves me feeling "warm and fuzzy" inside. It's a real joy to work with a client to develop a lasting memory of a beloved pet and these two portraits are the latest of what has become a fun side of my art business. I pride myself in working hard to capture the pet's personality as best I can. (If you are interested in having a pet portrait commissioned, feel free to check my pricing list by clicking on this link: http://artbymj.blogspot.com/p/commissionspricing.html )


Perusing my blog posts from 2011, I see that I did not do a very good job of posting a majority of my artwork. This may be due to the fact that 2011 was a year of experimentation for me as I returned to my old stand-by pencil, played with watercolors and pens, dabbled in digital media, and finished off experimenting with mixed media and acrylics.


Who knows what 2012 will bring to my art, but I will try to keep you better informed. Maybe I will feel brave enough to show you some of my more experimental work! I am hoping to find a way to offer prints in addition to the original art and commissions that I am creating. 


As always, I humbly thank you for your encouragement and allowing me the privilege of sharing my art with you.


Top: "Pom Buddies" 11x14 oil on canvas
Below: "Bucky" 11x14 oil on canvas

Sacre Coeur Cathedral

When I visited Montmarte in Paris, way back at the age of 18, I could never have imagined that one day I would be painting it as a commission. You just never know where life will take you!

And when my client's fiance took her to Sacre Coeur one evening, she had no idea there was a proposal coming as they stood at the front of this beautiful cathedral and he asked her to marry him.

Sigh. So romantic.

And I (moi!) had the honor of creatively capturing that momentous occasion.

"C'est à partir de toi que j'ai dit oui au monde."
- Paul Éluard
It was beginning with you that I said yes to the world.

C'est magnifique!

Tea Ceremony & Tradition - Golden Gate Park

Art is my work, but it is also my play. I have been doing a lot of playing over the summer months, hence my lack of posts. In between commissions, I have been playing at new kinds of media (different types of paint, pencils, pens). It's been rejuvenating and revealing.

This current "play" is actually a little piece that I started for fun early in the summer. I've also posted the preliminary work so you can see how a painting gets started. A departure for me, this is acrylic on heavy gessoed paper. It was a challenge to work with acrylics the same way I work with oils because they both behave very differently.

Originally, I had intended to paint a picture of the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco a la Monet. I got sidetracked though when a friend offered me his photos and after picking one out, I found that when I enlarged it, there was a little boy taking part in the traditional tea service. So I scrapped Monet and did MJ instead, creating my own version, redoing the scene and the little boy.

I was just telling a friend the other day that I don't think I could ever settle in to painting just one thing or one style. I love being an artist - I can be a gardener, an architect, a cowboy, a traveler, a naturalist, a child, a florist...the world is my inspiration!

"Tradition and the Tea Ceremony"

11"x14" acrylic on gessoed paper

El Santuario de Chimayo

The village of Chimayo is located just north of Santa Fe and is known for its church which was built in 1816 after a crucifix was discovered buried in the dirt. El Santuario de Chimayo has a long and interesting history (you can read more here about it's history) and is often referred to as the "Lourdes of America."

I have had my reference picture for this painting for several years now, but it wasn't until I was able to visit Santa Fe this winter and walked through several galleries, admiring the use of colors that I finally understood what I wanted to portray with my Chimayo painting.

I could've painted it exactly like my photo - a truer visual representation - but it was more important for me as an artist to capture my feeling of New Mexico, it's culture, it's local color. I'm so glad I did, because this was a lot more fun!

El Santuario de Chimayo

16"x20" acrylic on canvas, private collection

Journey Series - #5

It's been awhile since I've completed another addition to my "Journey" series. As my family traveled by car to California, we were delighted to see snow on the approaching mountain range and I snapped a photo of Interstate 15 on the way into Barstow. Historically, Barstow is known as "a jumping off point for immigrants entering the state" during the Great Depression and was made famous by John Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath.

As I painted, it brought to mind a painting done by my father (posted here and one of my very favorites) - his interpretation of what was either Interstate 10 (most likely) or I-40 on the way to California. The cars represent our family's multiple moves to and from California along with a plane in the sky which I like to think symbolizes the many miles he logged on airplanes in between moves. He always preferred travel by car.

Lots of good memories were made traveling back and forth on those highways. I hope my own children will treasure similar memories from our travels. To my delight, my son recognized my painting right away and said he could recall that exact point on the road. I hope he meant it, but maybe he just wanted more money so he could go get a hamburger at McDonalds :0) !

"Road Through Barstow"

24"x36" oil on canvas

All of Nature Proclaims His Glory

"All of nature proclaims His glory" (Psalm 19:1)...and for bird lovers and others, the indigo bunting may be viewed as one of nature's visual crescendos.

A friend, and avid bird watcher, generated much talk when she posted a photo of the indigo bunting that took up residence in their backyard this past November and is still visiting them every day (!)

As an artist, nature inspires me in a way that nothing else does. When I saw her photo, I knew I would paint it, I just wasn't sure how or when (which is what happens with many of my initial inspirations - they come to fruition on their own time and I've learned not to force it).

How do you do justice to an indigo bunting?!

This year, I plan on playing with some new types of media. Oil remains my priority, but I look forward to taking some creative adventures with watercolors, acrylics, colored pencils, digital art...sky's the limit!

And what better place to start than with this little guy? (You may see him again!)I'm grateful for people (my friend) who share what inspires and delights them in their daily lives, and I thank you for allowing me to share my own delights with you, here, on this blog.

Elk Journey

Just before Christmas, I was commissioned to complete a large painting for a man's study which featured snow and elk. I was so thrilled to be asked to do this because of all the things my dad used to love to paint, mountain landscapes combined with deer and elk were among his favorites. Because of that, there is a special connection I feel with him whenever I paint these subjects.

This was a creative challenge for me as I have never painted snow (to this extent) or elk, for that matter.

What you can't see in the finished painting is all the back and forth and creative input that goes into the painting between myself and the client. When it is done, it definitely feels like a combined effort.

I've shown the original sketch because I thought you might be interested in seeing how the initial photo layout transformed into a beautiful, peaceful painting for the client's study. As I look at this sketch, I think about the level of trust this person had that I could go from step A (the original idea) to step B (the final).

I learned more than I ever thought I'd care to know about elk as I poured over websites of our National Parks and read an entire book about elk. I put as much personality as possible into each of the elk and thoroughly enjoyed it once I had done my research. These bull elk are portrayed during their journey up the mountain. There are no females or young ones because they leave several weeks ahead of the rest of the herd in the autumn.

Originally, I thought it might be interesting to add a little cabin in the back of the woods, but my client thought an eagle in the sky above the elk would be a better idea. It might be hard to see among the contrast of the trees (which was how we intended it to appear), but it was a perfect suggestion and adds such a wonderful touch!

...oh, and by the way, one of my dad's trademark accents was to add an eagle in the sky of his paintings.

:0)

Elk Journey

3'x4' oil on canvas

Private Collection

Autumn Gloria (Small Study)

For the beauty of the earth,

For the glory of the skies;

For the love which from our birth,

Over and around us lies;

Lord of all,

to Thee we raise

this our hymn of grateful praise!

~Folliott S. Pierpoint

"Autumn Gloria" (Small Study)

8"x10" oil on canvas $55+s/h

Japanese Tea Garden Koi (Small Study)

My original photo for this small study was taken in the Japanese Tea Garden of San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. We were blessed by a lovely, sunny (!) March day and enjoyed a walk through the Japanese Tea Garden. I remember being slightly disappointed that we were missing all the Spring color that would be present in the flowering trees had we been there a few weeks later, but the koi certainly didn't disapoint with their jewel-like tones.

For Asian cultures, koi are good luck signs in business and life. I have read that there is even a blue version of koi, and I will be on the lookout now. I'm tempted to paint a much larger version of this - the colors were so fun, with the lighting and water almost giving an abstract effect to the painting.

"Japanese Tea Garden Koi" (Small Study)

8"x10" oil on canvas $55+s/h (tax if applicable)

A Tree Of Life

In a mood to paint something whimsical and fun, I decided to paint my own version of a "Tree of Life" and fill it with symbols that were meaningful to me. This marks a return to a style I used when I was much younger and did far less realistic paintings and drawings. In that sense, I allowed myself to be more creative and less literal.

The hardest part may have been choosing what to put on the branches of my tree of life. Each item has a special meaning, of which I will give you only the basics so you can participate by filling in your own connections as you view it.

Here is a list of a few of the items and what they represent:

• Hummingbird - "timeless joy & the nectar of life"
• Morning Glory - "affection" & "resurrection"
• Dove - "peace"
• Snail - "perseverance & determination"
• Apple - "Old and New Testaments"
• Pear - "Christ's love for all of mankind"

The "tree of life" is mentioned several times in the Bible. According to the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, "the tree of life became a common poetic simile to represent that which may be a source of great blessing."

I kept thinking my painting wasn't finished so I painted until I could go no further. I'm still not entirely sure why I added the word "hope" but thought it was interesting to discover after the fact (Really! Completely unintentional!) that Proverbs 13:12 reads: "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life."

"A Tree of Life"
18"x24" oil on canvas, gallery wrapped

Footbridge on the Path to Ninian's Cave

I love doing commissions that capture a specific time and place for the individual I am painting for because I know they will look at it when it is finished and it will take them back into a special memory and place. I'm so glad to be able to do that for them. This particular travel photo was taken on a footpath on the way to St. Ninian's cave in Scotland.

Thankfully, the person I painted it for was very patient because it took a long time for me to know exactly how I was going to execute all this...GREEN. I wanted to achieve a balance because if I painted it all green it would lose character, but if I took out too much green it would lose it's Scottish-ness. I reached back to my childhood and remembered what it was like exploring various footpaths in the English countryside and how that was one of my earliest memories of adventure on untrodden paths. As a child the sudden appearance of a creek or little bridge was exciting and to this day, there is something that enchants me when I see water flowing over rocks.

"Path to St. Ninian's Cave"

11"x14" oil on canvas, private collection

Trois Plus Un (Small Study)

Every year about this time, I start to be a little sad that the summer fruits are on their way out and our selection will turn to the year round varieties...not that they are so bad in and of themselves...but I do miss the fresh berries, plums, nectarines and peaches. Summer fruit salads are like being given permission to have dessert with dinner. The endless combinations are more fun than the fall/winter versions, in my opinion.

At first I thought I might need to highlight the Three Plus One...Plum a little more, but I kind of like it as an "afterlook" so that's the way I left it.

"Trois Plus Un" (Small Study)

8"x10" oil on canvas, $55 + s/h (tax when applicable)

Around the Bend (Journeys Series #4)

"Around the Bend" is part of a continuing series I'm doing on roads and journeys. Something about roads grabs me and makes me feel all philosophical. I painted this from a photo we snapped when a car full of kids and I were driving home on County Road 257 from Galveston one morning this summer. A tropical storm was entering the Gulf and the clouds were a fascinating contrast from one side to the other. It seemed that what was around the bend was pretty menacing, but once we came around, it wasn't nearly as bad as we had anticipated.

"Around the Bend - Journey Series #4"

10"x20" oil on canvas

"When I left...my future seemed to stretch out before me like a straight road. I thought I could see along it for many a milestone. Now there is a bend in it. I don't know what lies around the bend, but I'm going to believe that the best does. It has a fascination of its own, that bend, Marilla."

~Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables