time flower painted

acrylic on bookcover

light rain

i cant remember if i've posted this one or not.  i painted it last year for ian.

8x10 acrylic

found you

pencil, ink and watercolor on book cover

redheads are starting to influence my art!  

(janelle and ian know what's up)

(the scanner sometimes doesn't do so well with delicate lines and tones in pictures, so it's just an idea of what it looks like)

night

acrylic on panel

bday card

birthday card for nancy.

watercolor resist.

the lee

you shall hide them in the secret place of your presence... you shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.

ps 31:20

time flower

"all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.  the grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever."

-1 peter 1:24, 25

my ian

cas: "a few days ago at ruby rose i saw this vintage paint-by-number in a frame and it was so rad.  we should do paint-by-numbers and then hang them in our house.  the irony would be awesome since we both can paint."

(cas waits expectantly for response...)

ian: [note positive and cheerful intonation in the tone of voice] "that sounds amazing.  i think we should do paint-by-numbers this weekend!"


how could you not love that.

so this weekend, we'll be painting-by-number.

we already went and picked them out.

shy

watercolor on bristol 8 1/2x11

johnson trail

"plein air" watercolor exercise from johnson trail (off lower higuera).  the actual colors are a little duller than the picture, but whatever.

i love slo...it's so pretty

dawned worth mentioning

acrylic on book cover

tripled

"but concerning brotherly love you have no need that i should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in macedonia.  but we urge you brethren that you increase more and more." 

1 thes. 4:9-10

ginger bench

9x12 watercolor on bristol

your "art"

"let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."  colossians 3:16

you're not off the hook, either, if you aren't a singer or propagator of some type of discernible art.  to make an inference from the verse, God gave us gifts and creativity to influence in a way that only creativity can: deeper and better than just being told something.  

God gave you what you're good at because people respond to it.

some people are good with numbers, or people, or living practically or language or music.

if you find yourself free in any area, it is your creativity, and it has a purpose: to influence and to remember your God.

no one was ever bummed out because someone else was creative.  if you understate your influence and your gifts, you cheat the people around you and neglect part of your humanity that blesses God with praise...praise for simply being His and alive.

you're "art" isnt about you.  it is quite the opposite, actually.  you have a responsibility to divulge it.

amaranthus.

10x12 acrylic on panel.

this style of painting is so fun.  it's not original and doesnt take a genius to do it, but it's very free and very painterly.

i heart brushstrokes.

hurry up and orchard

10"x12" acrylic on panel.

rain is good for art :)

the San Louie and the gaggle of geese

look for my painting in the upcoming issue of the San Louie magazine in november!

notes to myself: cure

"walk in the spirit and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh...if we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit.  let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another."

galatians 5:16, 25, 26

care full

watercolor and pen.

the meek shall inherit the earth

cutting out letters for a bulletin board (it actually will say, "checking in with children's ministry")

113 degrees is way too hot.

i grew up in weather very similar to england's in the coastal north of this state.  the only way we knew it was summer was because it rained LESS.

when, in a freak fit of nature, the last throes of summer lashed thick tentacles of disgusting heat out into san luis county, i did not embrace it.  the whole thing actually made me angry (real mature, i know).  

our house is like a toaster when it's hot outside, which leaves me as a wanderer, exiled from my dwelling.

while i was pitching a fit to ian about it, he reminded me in his sweet gentle way that if i had a better perspective about it, the harsh weather might be a blessing.

i ended up driving up to my my church in morro bay (figuring the coast was the only place that would be not hellish on such a hot day) and asking them to put me to work just so i could hang out in their huge, naturally cooled building.  it turns out that there were a couple large informational bulletin boards that they had wanted to do for a while.  

all this to say, God, in His sweet mercy, proved me wrong and actually turned what i thought would be a wasted week into a peaceful, useful, and bearable (temp wise) week.  i dare say that this week has actually been a huge blessing that would not have happened if the heat had not driven me out of SLO.  i got to serve God, hang out with my friends and do art like the third grade art major that i am/was.

i'm convinced that God seriously uses everything... especially after God took the time to re-convince me this week :)  if you find yourself pitching a fit about something... He probably has such a rad purpose for that very thing that is irritating you or stopping your plans that it's worth the trouble and trust it takes to remain calm and walk in whatever new road He has laid out for you.