Crossing the Chicken Line

Since coming back from France I wanted to paint these French chickens.  They were in one of the hamlets we visited and painted on our trip.  These chickens roost in holes in the ground.  Haven't seen this before.  I'm getting ready for an art exhibit entitled "Crossing the Chicken Line" with a group of artists of faith named "Called to Create."

One evening we discussed what crossing the chicken line meant to each of us.  We all had something in mind that we were hesitant to do, a chicken line to cross.  That evening I shared that planning a second art trip to France was a dream, but with several reservations. These
friends listened to my reservations, asked questions, prayed and encouraged me to move ahead.  I did and the trip happened last June.

So this painting is a wink in the direction of crossing that chicken line to realize a dream.

Painting Peonies

These beauties growing in my son's back yard begged to be painted.  I took several photos but when I was able to get back to paint them "plein air" they were too far gone.  So I pulled up one of the photos on my computer and painted them indoors.  They were so fun to paint!  They have found a new home with a friend who loves peonies and is a beauty herself!

Indiana Now! Exhibit

This painting was chosen to be a part of the Art Museum of Lafayette Indiana's exhibit "Indiana Now!"  The exhibit will be open until the end of August.  Over 500 paintings were submitted from all over Indiana with only 73 chosen.  It is a privilege that my "Winter Morning Star" watercolor was juried into the exhibit.

Originally, I took an early morning photo out of our patio doors during the winter vortex of 2014.  It was bitter cold.  When I opened the patio door, as I do each morning, to check on the weather and the view, the morning moon was hanging just under the morning star (Venus) with the orange cast of the lamplight on the houses behind ours.

This was painted on 200 pound paper and when salt was added to the bottom dark wash of paint, this cloudy cold frost appeared.  It makes me think of the solitary feeling I get when I look at Edward Hopper's "Night Hawks."

Old Dogwood in Springtime

My sister's dogwood tree is aging.  This is probably its last year to bloom.  So I gathered a few branches to capture their beauty knowing next year the tree would be gone.  My morning routine is a cup of coffee, my prayer chair and a centering and journaling time in prayer and with the Scriptures.  This particular morning my routine changed as I enjoyed my coffee and painting dogwoods with a heart filled with gratitude for God's creation and His presence. I'd just read "creation was God's first scripture" and so it is.

Irises in Bloom

While the rose class was happening, the irises in my garden came into bloom.  I could not resist spending a morning sitting in front of the iris bed and painting these beauties. There is absolutely nothing like sitting outdoors, in the fresh air, breezes blowing, sun shining for a relaxing painting experience!

Roses, Roses, and more Roses

Several students asked for a class in painting roses.  So for four weeks 13 women worked on painting dozens of roses using different techniques.  One of my early china painting teachers said that I would not know how to paint a rose until I'd painted 1000 of them.  That was about 40 years ago and I have painted 1000's with great delight.  These paintings were demos from the class.  I still enjoy this inexhaustible subject!