Monday, November 24, 2008

Monday, November 24, 2008























Poinsettias are very sensitive to light, in fact, to get them to bloom year after year, they have to be kept in the dark from 5 pm to 8 am from October to Thanksgiving. I have never kept a poinsettia alive for a year and I usually buy one each year because I can't resist their beautiful colors. They even have orange ones for Thanksgiving now! Did you know that 80% of poinsettias are bought by people over 40? That's me! I do think they are quite beautiful and have always wanted to paint them. As I was doing a bit of research I found that they are not poisonous after all and they were once used as fever medicine.
There are several myths or legends about the poinsettia, one involves a little Mexican child who had no money to buy a gift to take to the church. The child was told that a gift given in love would be acceptable in God's eyes. On the way the sweet child gathered branches and leaves to take to the nativity. The sweet child laid them at the foot of the altar and the leaves burst into a beautiful red, the congregation thought they had witnessed a miracle.
As we celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas, I hope we all we remember and be thankful for all of our blessings and miracles that God has given to us.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Monday, November 17, 2008






















Fifteen months ago my oldest son left our little nest to attend Nascar Technical Institute. His absence tugged heavily on my heart. I missed him so much, the separation was something that I had never encountered before, I grieved over his leaving and I learned that this grieving was called empty nest syndrome. This emptiness did get better over the year, but to make things worse, this past year was pretty devastating for our family, we lost a brother, another brother battled cancer, and dear sweet friend unexpectedly past away.
Our little nest also held three other eggs, two dogs and a cat. This year we lost one dog and a cat, both to cancer. The dog that died was my youngest son's companion dog, Becky was the sun and the moon to him. Tick-tock was my oldest son's cat and had been with him since kindergarten. We have one pet remaining, Honey, my oldest son's dog. She will have surgery today to remove a tumor, we pray that her biopsy will deliver good news.
Someone once told me that we gain nothing and learn nothing if everything in our life has no complications and is easy all of the time, it is through complications, pain and struggle that we become who we are and that our lives are richer and full of meaning. If that is the case, then my life and the nest I live in has become painfully rich and beautiful.
Last week, we celebrated when my oldest son graduated from Nascar and returned to our little nest. The five eggs in the painting represent my two sons, my husband, Honey, and myself. Upon the return of my son, our little eggs are nestled safely in the nest....and it's a good feeling.
Oh, but I can't get too comfortable, my oldest leaves the nest again after Christmas!

Monday, November 10, 2008

Monday, November 10, 2008

Grouper is a popular saltwater fish, so popular in fact, there is a Grouper Festival in Madeira Beach, Florida. I didn't know there were so many kinds of grouper: calico, barrell, spotted, strawberry, yellowfin, black - just to name a few! I was inspired to paint this fish by the "sad" look on this grouper's face. I'm the type of person that usually pulls for the "underdog" in different situations, and this grouper looks to me like he is the "under-dog". After a bit of research, I don't feel sorry for him one bit because he's just waiting for his supper..they eat other fish, octopus, crab, lobster, and other yummy seafood, they "wait" for it to come to them-smart fish! Maybe that's why they grow to be so big! Their powerful tooth plate crushes their tasteful prey! I think of what my parents taught me and the old saying, don't let looks fool you, "looks can be deceiving"!

Monday, November 3, 2008

Monday, November 3, 2008























The pear symbolizes Christ's love for mankind. Pears are members of the rose family and related to the apple and the quince.
This is the second painting of pears that I have done. I love the fruit, the color and the taste of pears.
The French painter, Paul Cezanne was influenced by Cubism, a style of art based on spheres, cubes, cones and cylinders. Cezanne was famous for working with conical and spherical forms in fruit. He used basic shapes and laid thick, structured and chiseled brushstrokes on canvas. Cezanne created several painting which included this marvelous fruit.
I'm sure this will not be my last painting of pears.