Tuesday, August 27, 2013

ROCK'S CRY




 






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NOTES

This rock formation is a real one 
we found in hiking around Big Bear Lake, CA




pic taken before the digital era

So interesting and inspiring to paint
I immediately thought of the text from Isaiah
that if we wouldn't worship, the rocks cry out

One of my very few 22 x 30 inch watercolors
has been in several exhibits

Very humbled when on the first exhibit
in one of L.A.'s universities
I saw two university students sitting on the floor
copying my watercolor.
Being in my first years of painting had  the impulse to go up to them
and  ask, "Are you sure you want to copy this?"

Guess I don't have enough narcissism
to waltz up to them in an outlandish outfit,
singing, "And if you (pointing at them) practice hard and long enough,
maybe you'll be good enough in ten years 
to be selected in one of these exhibits (pointing at self)."
(you know I'm rolling my eyes now) - 

one of the reasons I am very choosy
which artists are on my blog list. 

I love excellence and professional art,
but someone praising their own art 
with bombastic revelry.
is a poor reflection of what art is all about!
Only time will tell (after my life time)
how "memorable" my art is.




Linking to
ABC-G





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Wednesday, July 3, 2013

AMSTERDAM

 
 
This painting I painted in the building "Het Keerpunt" (the Turn Around) 
in Amsterdam, the Netherlands
 

NOTES

This painting is about feeling a small insignificant part
of the big machine called Amsterdam
The reflection of Amsterdam seen in
its many canals of the city
but yet, also a small part
can have spheres and ripple effects of influence
on the globe if all moving parts are working together. 

Amsterdam is seen with a visionary eye
and therefore painted in blue
It's borders (historically seen, only cities had city walls) 
in purple for its association with royalty
and the concentric, ever widening circles
in yellow to red for a cheerful happy brightness



 
 
Listening to what my audience has to say
while I am in the process of painting
one of the most rewarding sides of painting




This painting was painted while I was in Amsterdam in June when I was having an exhibit of twelve of my paintings, a Dialogue with people under thirty years of age, and a workshop.
Among the interested, at least six people came to me afterward, who were artists and had exhibited themselves, but had become stuck afterwards. I loved to be an encouragement for them.



Linking with
Mysteries
ABC - Y
Artistique

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

THE PROCESS of EMMAUS

When you see a painting in a show or gallery, you see just that.
Not what was involved in what led up to the image.
most of the big oil paintings do have a story - 
and it's not something I make up!






With this painting I started out to have a gate opened and a roof line. 
Something interesting was that the sun shone through the painting 
as I had it propped up against a couch to look at it. 
You see that the sun's reflection also fell on several art papers behind it..







At first I had the vague idea for a gate to go through
with in the distance the cross. 
Then I remembered the story of two people on the way to Emmaus, 
talking about the recent events of Jesus accused of treason 
getting the death penalty. In those days it was not the electric chair,
 but being nailed to a wooden cross.  







A third person joined them.
  
Just for fun a detail with a photoshop filter of "blur" and" texture." 
 which makes it look like iconic art work of the early Middle Ages. 
The pointed line changed more to that of an arch.


For Photo Art Friday

I usually do not paint with gold, silver, or glitter,
but felt the gold would highlight  
the meaning of 
the gate of redemption. 
Below is how the painting looks now (in reality). 








The Story ends with their arrival in the town of Emmaus. 
The original two urged the third for a meal,
They were impressed with his knowledge
of what should have happened 
according to their "Law and the Prophets"
passed down from generations. 

 During the meal he disappears in front of their eyes.

Then they knew that he was the one who had been on that cross, 
died and became alive after 3 days. And they said to each other, 
"Wasn't our heart burning when he explained it all to us?"
Am always chuckling about that sentence -
that's easy to say afterwards, isn't it?



Monday, January 21, 2013

The Escape



The Escape Oil, StGermain


NOTES

It took me a while before I found a way to put this story on canvas. 
The flood light effect puts the scene at night. 
Rahab took a big risk to help these two spies 
get over the wall
With this painting the eye goes straight to the top of the canvas.

By the way, the shadows of Joshua and Caleb are
painted on the wall -it's not a texture or a blurry pic

I painted every brick (also in the dark parts). 
This might be a Western interpretation. 
I don't know if they used bricks in this pattern 
on an outside wall of a city in that time.

Then, I put dry paint over some 
of the bricks (painters call this drybrush)
to give it that faded look. It's not a digital texture:)
 .

Am not sure, but think only people who visited my house have seen this painting. 
It hasn't been on an exhibit, an art event, or on one of my blogs yet. 
So, you my bloggie friends are the first!



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Linked to
Artistique
OrangeTG Friday
Green Day
Orange Mandarin Monday