Postcard From Santa Fe

No, I'm not actually in Santa Fe, but I feel like I've been on an extended vacation as far as painting is concerned. A bad cold after the holidays left me without much energy for creativity. I have several things in the works right now, but nothing ready to show so I decided to share this with you. I painted it for Mother from a postcard or card (can't quite recall) when I was SIXTEEN years old. I can only imagine what my paintings would look like now if I had stuck with painting instead of giving it up. Alas, no point in looking back...I'm glad for all I've learned in just the last year. I had a wonderful discussion with a lady this week who has taught art for 25 years and told me she didn't start until she was 49! Isn't that great?? We are NEVER too old to learn something new. What is it that YOU may have always wished you'd learned but haven't done yet? It's not too late!!

"Postcard From Santa Fe," 5"x7" oil on canvas, private collection.

Painted Ladies

These two lovely paints were painted as an anniversary gift from a husband to his wife. I was fortunate enough to be able to visit them in person and take a series of photos before deciding on the composition with my client. It was a tremendous help when it came to sitting down at the canvas and trying to capture their personalities. I also had the privilege of being there when he presented it to her and that made my heart sing to see the happiness in her eyes when she unwrapped it. It feels good to know you've created something that will be a treasured keepsake.
11"x14" oil on canvas, private collection

Something Different

I stared at the leftover paint on my palette Saturday afternoon and decided to paint from my imagination. To play!! That's a big stretch from me who likes the comfort of a well-planned out piece of artwork, start to finish.

Letting my imagination guide me, I ended up with something very different from usual...and I had a blast doing it. At first glance, this little 8"x10" looks dark and moody (I was wishing for my photographer friend's help with capturing it adequately!) but with closer inspection, you are invited in to one of my favorite hours of the day - that moment of dusk where the remaining glow of the day is barely hanging on and lights are coming on inside homes. For me, it's a magical, dreamy time....it's not yet night, but neither is it still daytime.

Novelist Zane Grey quotes: "People live for the dream in their hearts. And I have yet to know anyone who has not some secret dream, some hope, however dim, some storied wall to look at in the dusk, some painted window leading to the soul."

Dreams at Dusk, an 8"x10" oil on canvas board, is currently available on my website: http://www.artbymj.com/images/Dreams_At_Dusk.html.

Aspen Meadow Gathering

In an earlier post, I showed you a study I did of a mother horse and her foal. Here's the final painting with mother and foal in their entire surroundings: a Colorado meadow on a cloudy summer day. Several times while painting this, I would pause and wish I was really in this spot, enjoying this scenery, breathing in fresh mountain air.

24"x30" oil on canvas, available here.

The Artist's Assistant

Here's the faithful, furry friend who sits nearby as I paint, happy that I've sat down long enough that he doesn't have to continue following me all over the house to see what I'm up to (and follow me he does). His main job is to get me to move away from my typical close viewing of the paintings by wanting to go outside, wanting a pat or wanting something to eat. If you're an artist, you know how important stepping away can be. Even if you're not an artist, you may have other areas of your life or work that need "stepping back" reminders. I have a good friend in my art class that will walk by my easel and remove my current painting to take it across the room. I love it that she does that.

Of course, he's not the only assistant. It seems that anyone who walks through the room (I paint right in the middle of it all) has an opinion to offer and I welcome them because after a day of painting, I sometimes lose the ability to look at a painting with "fresh eyes."

Psalm 139

Note: If you are receiving updates on my blog via email, you can either read the email verson (not as pretty) or you can click on "Fine Art By MJ" in the actual email and it will link you to the PRETTY version online. You can also then click on the picture and see a much larger version (which you will probably need to do to see this entry clearly since it is so detailed).


It has been awhile since my last entry, mainly because I haven't had any new paintings to add (big project still in the works). I have had "artistic-related" things going on in my life that I've wanted to share, but for some reason got it stuck in my mind that my blog should be for new paintings. It dawned on me that my blog can be anything I want it to be! Duh! It may diverge from standard art blogs, but I figure most of you out there who are subscribing to my blog won't mind. My hope is to add a little art to your busy day every now and then in whatever form or inspiration it is delivered.


Now....Psalm 139. I do a daily Bible study with family members. Yesterday's reading inspired me to do a little sketching. We read ONE chapter a day and send a little comment via e-mail to each other. Sometimes we just send out the verse that inspires us the most, other times we add personal feelings or research we've done. We will be a hundred years old by the time we finish (!) but let me tell you what a wonderful thing this has been for all of us involved. We decided on one chapter a day because we figured it was more manageable and we couldn't make excuses about it being too much. It's actually quite beneficial because I read it slower and can spend more time researching the historical aspects and commentaries related to the scripture.


I was really looking forward to Psalm 139 coming up in our readings because it has always been a personal favorite. I can still remember so clearly reading it for the FIRST time as a 7th grader and being totally enthralled with it. In fact, I pulled down that very same Bible yesterday off the shelf, opened it to Psalm 139 and I had underlined EVERY SINGLE line! At the end I wrote, "This makes me so happy." It is most definitely a love letter. At that moment, reading it as a 13yr old, I knew it had SEALED MY FAITH.

Fewer Tiaras, More Laughs

I had more fun with this painting than any I've done before. I painted a sweet pose of this little girl for her grandmother, but along with the pictures she emailed me was one of her with Groucho-ish glasses on (I guess the current Groucho glasses don't include the moustache?) The minute I saw it I thought, "Oh, I have to paint that!"

I call it "Fewer Tiaras, More Laughs" because about the time my teenage daughter was a toddler (many long years ago!) the marketing onslaught of princess regalia began and I always felt I wanted so much more for my daughter than a label of "princess." Granted, I am as much a sucker for all the fluff and sparkle, but we all need to strike that balance for our girls between catering to their girly selves and drawing out the true riches of the kingdom....laughter (displayed here), faith, love, wonder, sharing, caring, and so much more.

This painting is not for sale, I will enjoy it for awhile before giving it to the above-mentioned grandmother. My blog postings may be a little sparse in the upcoming month as I am working on a VERY large sized commission (the canvas is taller than me!); a wonderful opportunity for me...but I will be painting other, smaller canvases in between drying times.

May laughter come your way today!

INSPIRATION in the sky

I debated with myself about doing this, but if you know me, you know that a very large part of what I consider to be "my artwork" are the creations I do for my church every Sunday in putting scripture slides up on the songscreen. (So you may be seeing them on my blog occasionally).

This morning I awoke to the most beautiful sunrise (photographed here) and then, lo and behold, if this wasn't in my daily scripture reading. The two just begged to be paired together!

Oh, I do LOVE clouds! I look up at the sky and ask God, "Please teach me how to paint like that!" One of the best things about returning to my painting is that my eyes have become so much more in tune to God's glory all around me. This inspiration is invaluable as an artist and I thought you might enjoy the extra inspiration today too. Have a blessed day!

Nearby - Mama Horse and her Foal

I entitled this painting "Nearby" as you might wonder what the foal is looking at in the distance. It is actually a study for a much larger painting which will contain this same image within it. So stay tuned, and hopefully in a few weeks you will see "the rest of the painting" and what this little one is looking at. Credit for this image goes to my sister who got out of the car on a recent trip to take photos for me...and did a wonderful job, I might add.

I'm enjoying painting horses as it reminds me of how much I loved them as a girl growing up. I spent many a day sketching horses. Horses are hard!!! I remember being so discouraged. I guess the hard work paid off, but I think painting horses is easier than drawing horses.

This 8"x10" oil on canvas is now available for $135 + S/H. Contact me at fineartbymj@aol.com.

Mission San Juan Capistrano - View From the Plaza

Known as "the Jewel of Missions," Mission San Juan Capistrano was founded in 1776.

With a few hours to spare one morning, I took myself over to the mission to walk through the gardens. I had visited the Mission San Juan Capistrano when I was a teenager, but had forgotten how beautiful the surroundings and gardens were. I like this view because it encompasses the bell campanario, the statue of Father Junipero Serra with an Indian boy, and the ruins of the church which are "believed to be the oldest standing building in California." What a delight for anyone who has the opportunity to visit these well-cared for, peaceful surroundings. Especially on a beautiful sun-drenched California day.

"Mission San Juan Capistrano - From the Plaza" 5"x7" oil on canvas, gallery-wrapped