The new year begins!

I know... I've been slack at posting...but it has been the holidays :)

There have been numerous parties and a couple of gallery receptions and just the fun of family around at this great time of year.  Those are my excuses and I love them.

Below is the last of the paintings that I did in front of the congregation.  It was done on Christmas Eve so I had more time to paint since there was a lot more worship time than normal.  Doing these quick paintings in front of a crowd has been great fun.  I hope I get a chance to do it again.

I hope you have a wonderful 2012 that is filled to overflowing with great joy.

The theme was love...

Christmas seems to be coming together.  One more painting to do on Christmas eve then the celebration.

Another Sunday quick paint.   Jesus died for us.  What awesome love.  This is more Easter than Christmas but I painted what came to mind when I thought about love.  All my other paintings will have to wait for the new year.

Are you as busy as I am?

Are you as busy as I am?  Time is whizzing by... only five days left!  My unfinished paintings have been stored away 'til the new year and all my supplies taken out of the diningroom.  The tree is up and decorated but the Christmas village is still in the box.  I haven't bought the turkey yet but I've managed to bake several dozen cookies of three different varieties. 

The best part about all this busyness is that I'm quite relaxed and enjoying the whole Christmas adventure this year.  I think painting in church during worship time has added a new excitement to this holiday. I spend time all week long, thinking about what I can paint that best represents, to me, the theme of the service.  I should spend this much time reflecting on the service all year round.  But alas, without the added incentive, my mind doth wander.

The theme for this painting was light.

Another quick painting

The picture below is the one I painted quickly at church last Sunday.  I had four songs during which I could paint at the beginning of the service.  Then I sat down and realized I had the wing coming out of the top of his back, almost like it was pinned on.  Fortunately there was a song at the end when I could get up and fix it.

It was a beautiful experience being able to paint with a live band while they lead worship. I get really nervous in workshops because people see what I'm painting but this is completely different.  I feel bold and energized.  It doesn't even matter how the painting turns out because I'm enjoying myself so much.

I'm glad I can do this again for three more weeks.

A poem for my painting

The person who bought my Triptych presented me with a poem she wrote.  It's a beautiful piece of writing that tells what the painting "Ribbon of Life" means to her.  I feel very honoured.

She also invited me to a party at her home and introduced me like I was a celebrity.  Wow. 

Here's her poem:

Ribbon of life unravels

hues-textures-miles

snag

Road Block-Darkness

somewhere snatches of light

hopeful brightness emerging 

edged with receding blood

healing

cut ribbon seeks uniting

somewhere  bleeding continues

ribbon of life uplifting 

lighting the way ahead

future

is in our hands

somewhere road block melts 


by Estelle

Painting can be Worship

I was asked if I would paint, at the front of our church, during worship.  Yikes!  I said okay, and they told me the theme of the service would be "Joy" and to paint what brings me joy.  That would be pansies of course. I just have to look at them and I smile.  Unfortunately, the person organizing the event, called the night before the service and said they had made a mistake and the theme would be "Hope" not "Joy".

I love change, but I'm not good at painting something I haven't given a lot thought to and I'm definitely not a painting-a-day artist. Hmmm... Pansies are one of the first garden flowers for sale in the spring.  To me they say that winter is over and the warm summer breezes will soon be here. I think that Pansies are a perfect symbol of hope.  I'm not sure if anyone else caught that but it didn't matter.  I had a wonderful time painting to the awesome worship music coming from the band on stage and I look forward to doing it every Sunday of advent. 

My ten minute Pansy.  I posted it at a distance so you see what the congregation saw and not the sloppy details up close.  16"x20"acrylic on stretched canvas.