Survivor

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Oil on 7x5 hardboard.

The gorilla's expression moved me. It's as if the eyes reveal the thoughts of the Heavenly Creator. Only man can change the their expiration date. It's a contest between greed and honorable action. Sadly, I think I know the eventual winner.

This is my contribution to the WDE at Wet Canvas. Jean contributed the photo which was taken at the Toledo Zoo.

This was painted over black gesso. Love the stuff.

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^{matthew 10:28} Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Fab Four

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This is mixed media. Acrylic washes used as watercolor...Tombow and Pitt Pens...color pencil

This is my contribution to Liz Holm's Flying Moleskin book. Her theme is portraits. I decided to attempt an illustration of the Beatles..the Fab Four. I like doing star portraits because they are so recognizable. I enjoyed drawing stars from the movie mags as a youngster.

I tried to take the attitude of an illustrator for this one because I am fascinated by their work. I wanted to keep the colors more inventive as opposed to realism.

^{colossians 3:13} Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
NA

Goodbye My Beloved Friend

On Feb.25, I had to take my little buddy to the vet to be euthanized. It was probably the hardest thing I ever had to do.

Little Dolly was nearly 17 years old. She was pretty much ok but went downhill rapidly within several hours. So she didn't have a long period of pain or suffering, for which I am deeply grateful.

A toy poodle, she was 6.3 pounds of unconditional love. Dolly always seemed to be watching out for me as much as I watched out for her.

She has left a hole in this house and in my heart, but I realize such is the nature of life.

^{Ecclesiastes 3: 1} There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

² a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance.

Sunshine Award!

Wow! Thanks so much to these three great artists! Claire Beadon Carnell ... Faith Te... SYLVIANE! They have awarded me with the Sunshine Award...It's a blogger award for creativitiy and positivity. Please check them out, you'll be glad you did.

The rules for accepting the award are:
Put the logo on your blog or within your post.
Pass the award onto 12 bloggers.
Link the nominees within your post.
Let the nominees know they received this award.
Link to the person from whom you received this award.

There are many that I follow- just look at my sidebar. But the rules say I must choose 12...so here they are in no particular order. They are all very worth your while to check out!

Deborah Paris - A Painting Life
Connie Tom
Celeste Bergin
Edward Burton
Don's Blog
Sheila
Vern Schwarz Art
Saundra Lane Galloway
Miro Sinovcic
Karen Hargett
Gwen Bell
Dana Cooper Fine Art

Praying Soldier #2

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Oil on 5x7 hardboard.

This is a redo/copy of one that I painted and posted on April 12, '09.
My artist friend, Sheila, reminded me of it in a recent comment...thanks Sheila. I went back and looked it up. It was posted for last Easter.
There are some minor changes in this redo. I think I'll even go so far as to repost the commentary of 4/12/09. Happy Easter to all my dear friends.

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I post this in the spirit of Christianity on this day of days.
Please use it as a gentle reminder to look beyond the decorated eggs...marshmallow peeps...and the chocolate bunnies. All of which are fun and a special delight to our children and the child within us.

But the true meaning of this day is the suffering which was willingly endured so that we could all be forgiven. Through His sacrifice and resurrection we are guaranteed eternal life. This perfect life which He promised appeals to the child within us...because we are indeed His children.

Also, please don't forget to pray for all those who are in the service of protecting us and for those who have given the supreme sacrifice.

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Luke 20:36

Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.

The Forever Kind

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Acrylic on 7x5 hardboard.

I first applied Super Heavy Gesso...it gave a great textured surface to work upon.

My title, "The Forever Kind", of course refers to love. The folks in the painting look as though they've seen a good number of Valentine's Days together...and will share the remaining ones for the rest of their days.
Happy Valentine's Day everyone!
Thanks for looking!

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ephesians 5:28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Karin Jurick Thank You Project.

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Oil on 7x5 hardboard.

Jill Polsby coordinated a project put together to say "thank you" to Karin Jurick. Karin runs the great Different Strokes From Different Folks blog. Throughout the year Karin keeps us involved by posting a photograph (almost monthly) from which all the artists paint their own versions. Running her blog takes great effort and time on her part.
Her premise is many paintings from one photo. Very entertaining and educational.

118 artists have painted a portrait from the same photo of Karin as a means of saying thank you. These have been put together in a book which will be presented to Karin.
You can view all 118 paintings here. They are beautiful and highly varied! Excellent job, gang!

NFS

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Golden Moment

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Oil on 5x7 hardboard.

Saints win! Super Bowl XLIV was full of highlights! But the one that stands out in my mind, by far, is when Drew Brees held his barely one year old son, Baylen, amid the hullabaloo of the commentators and roaring crowd. There was wonder in little Baylen's eyes. Drew's eyes showered wonderment and love upon his boy. It just doesn't get any better than that, folks!

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Psalm 17:8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings

Northern Flicker

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Mixed media on a 7x5 hardboard.

I used thin acrylic washes of ultr. blue, burnt sienna, and sap green--Tombow brush pen--Pitt Pen--and a touch of colored pencil.

I tried to play the realism of the bird against an abstract background. I liked how the acrylic washes flowed and beaded up to make interesting formations. The action of the thin acrylic upon the smooth gessoed hardboard was what really held my interest.

I just love painting birds. I had fun with it.

This is my submission to the WDE at Wet Canvas. The image was graciously supplied by Jeanette.

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^{Proverbs 30:5} "Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him."

Homeless

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Approx. 5x10 Mixed media in Moleskine Book.

The media: Graphite-Tombow Brush Pen-Pigma Brush Tip Pen (Sienna)-Acrylic washes( Ultr. Blue and Burnt Sienna).

This is my entry into Adebanji's book. His theme is the Homeless and the Poor.

We are participating in a group called "The Flying Moleskins". Each member has their own sketch book. He/she makes a drawing and sends the book to the next artist. Get ready, Vern...here it comes.

My Ohio county has around 8oo homeless. God loves the unlovable.

NFS

Hebrews 13:5&6 God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." 6 So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

Proverbs 31:8 "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. ⁹ Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."

The Good Life

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Oil on 7x5 hardboard.

The painter looked as though he was in his element and completely happy-thus my title. Hmmm...could have titled it " Duck In Water". We are so blessed to be able to do what we do as artists.

The image was supplied by Kay for the WDE at Wet Canvas.

Just before painting this, I went to Kevin Macpherson's web site for inspiration. I painted this directly from my monitor much like an alla prima plein air.
I am happy with how this one turned out and it was so easy to paint.
Hope y'all like it!

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^{Proverbs 27:17} As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

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Enjoy
"The Good Life" by Tony Bennett...1963

The Kiss

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Oil on 5x7 hardboard.

She says, "You were always a good egg" , and plants a wet Valentine's Day kiss upon his hard exterior shell. Although he always tried to put up a tough front, she knew that inside he was just an old softie.

A rule in art is to avoid a tangent. A definition of tangent: touching and not intersecting a curve or curved surface at one and only one point: said of a line or plane. This is also known as "kissing". Rules are made to be broken, or at least bent.

For this painting, I was experimenting with chromatic black and the beautiful grays they can produce. Check it out here.

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Proverbs 26:24 A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but in his heart he harbors deceit.

Portrait

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Oil on 7x5 hardboard.
This is my second submission to WDE at Wet Canvas. It's a portrait of the hostess of this week's event, Valri. I like the sultry pose she struck.
Though it may not show up well, I used Super Heavy Gesso by Liquitex. It's the first time I've used it and I really like it's possibilities. It gives great impasto texture.

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^{Proverbs 20:6} Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find?

Purty Birdie

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Oil on 7x5 hardboard.

This is my submission for this week's WDE at Wet Canvas. The photo was graciously supplied by Valri.

My main objective here was just to not over mix the paint so when applied it would show fresh colors intermingling. And as the landscape painter may apply paint following the lay of the land, the "birdscape" painter must apply paint to follow the lay of the feathers.

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Proverbs 1:32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,and the complacency of fools will destroy them;33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of harm."

Kiwi-Two Too Shy

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Oil on 5x7 hardboard.

I have never done a Green subject that I can recall. I believe a lot of us tend to subjugate (don't know if it's the right word, but it's fun to type...Lol) it or avoid it altogether.
But as I really relaxed and looked, really looked, I saw many subtle nuances. That, for me, made this painting fun!

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Psalm 150:6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.

Painting Excursion

Dominique Eichi started a group called "The Flying Moleskins". Each member has their own sketch book. He/she makes a drawing and sends the book to the next artist. It will take over a year to make the whole cycle and for my book to make it back home (full of great art from my friends). Please take a look at "The Flying Moleskins" and follow our journey.

I did this little sketch of Mr. Mole from the animated film "Wind In The Willows". Mr. Mole is excited about all the places his journey will take him. It was done with a set of Shades Of Grey Pitt Pens.
My book has no theme. The artists will simply do what they enjoy the most...make art!!

I am looking forward to all the great art to come!

Proverbs 18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

Roses

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Oil on 5x7 hardboard.
This is from an image for the WDE on Wet Canvas. It was provided by Bonnie.

I find roses to be difficult (for me) to capture in paint.
As usual, black is a terror to photograph. I spent over an hour and this is the best I came up with. The color is very close to real life in the two closeups- the full painting shows too much peach color...but that came at the price of more reflections. I don't have a scanner- always relied on photographing.

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Proverbs 7:2 Keep my commands and you will live;guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.

Let 'er Rip

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Oil on 5x7 hardboard.
Let 'er Rip in this case refers to More texture...Higher chroma...More impressionistic/expressionistic. Trying to capture speed and excitement on a flat 5x7 surface.

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Proverbs 27:2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;someone else, and not your own lips.